BCCI defers decision on Ajit Chandila, Shah till January 18

A decision on the fate of tainted cricketers Ajit Chandila and Hiken Shah, who have been charged with corruption, was on Tuesday postponed till January 18 by the BCCI’s disciplinary committee after the third accused in the matter – Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf – sought more time to present his case.

Chandila and Shah have already been questioned by the three-member committee, headed by President Shashank Manohar and comprising Jyotiraditya Scindya and Niranjan Shah.

Rauf had been issued a notice by the panel to respond to the allegations against him. The official, who has been charge-sheeted in the spot-fixing case, was declared a “wanted accused” along with 15 bookies from Pakistan.

In Tuesday’s meeting the panel decided to give more time to Rauf to respond.

“The Disciplinary Committee of the Board met in Mumbai. Mr. Hiken Shah appeared in person, made oral submission and a written reply to the findings of the Enquiry against him. The Committee considered the request of Asad Rauf to give him more time to respond to the findings of the Enquiry against him,” BCCI said in statement.

“The Disciplinary Committee will meet on Monday, 18th January, 2016 at Cricket Centre,” it added.

Rauf has claimed innocence and has not visited India thereafter ever since the allegations came up against him. The two players, on the other hand, had earlier met the committee members in person on December 24. The panel had given them time till Monday to file a written response to the charges of spot-fixing against them. Chandila was arrested by the police for trying to spot-fix IPL games in 2013 along with Rajasthan Royals teammates S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan, both of whom have been banned for life by the BCCI. Shah, on the other hand, approached one of his colleagues from first-class cricket, who was also a member of one of the IPL teams. The approached player had reported the matter to his franchise, which passed on the information to the Anti Corruption Unit of the BCCI.

Hiken was suspended from all forms of cricket in July last year when he was found guilty of breaching the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s anti-corruption code. It was revealed he made a corrupt approach to one of his Mumbai teammate, who is also a member of one of the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams. He challenged his suspension in the Bombay High Court. 

Umpire Rauf is being investigated by the BCCI and Mumbai police for his involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing case. Rauf has denied the allegations but has not come to India so far to present his case.

Pakistan and the International Cricket Council (ICC) dropped Rauf from their elite lists after the allegations surfaced.