Notwithstanding the verdict of a Delhi court dropping charges against former India pacer S Sreesanth and two others in the 2013 spot-fixing scandal, the BCCI has decided to stick to its ban on the three cricketers for the time being.
All the 36 accused persons including Sreesanth, <g data-gr-id="45">Ankeet</g> Chavan and Ajit Chandila were on Saturday discharged in the IPL-6 spot fixing case by Patiala House <g data-gr-id="49">Court</g> but the Indian Board said its disciplinary decision remained unaltered.
“Any disciplinary proceeding or decision taken by the BCCI is independent to any criminal proceeding and has no bearing. The decisions of the BCCI, based on its independent disciplinary action, shall remain unaltered,” BCCI said in a statement issued Saturday.
All three had to spend time in jail during the course of <g data-gr-id="55">investigation</g>. Of the three, Sreesanth and Chavan are currently serving life bans imposed by the BCCI after the scandal shook the high-profile <g data-gr-id="53">league,</g> while Chandila’s hearing is still on.
After the decision, Sreesanth’s parents could not find enough words to express their elation as a Delhi court dropped all spot-fixing charges levelled against their son.
“Thank God. Our prayers are answered. He (Almighty) is witness to everything. We thank all those who worked to prove his innocence,” Sreesanth’s father Santhakumaran Nair said, reacting to court verdict discharging all 16 accused in IPL <g data-gr-id="51">spot fixing</g> <g data-gr-id="57">case</g>.
“We thank all those who prayed for our son. We were all tensed after Court reserved order on <g data-gr-id="47">plea</g>. We were all praying for him,” Sreesanth’s mother Savitri Devi said.
Kerala Cricket Association president T C Mathew, who is also BCCI Vice President, said the state cricket body would do everything possible to ensure re-entry of Sreesanth into mainstream cricket.
He said he would seek all possibilities to revoke the ban imposed on Sreesanth by BCCI.
Meanwhile, Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Saturday said he was happy for the three cricketers cleared by a Delhi court of spot-fixing charges and insisted that the Board should not have a problem with the order. “It’s very good for them. The court has done whatever they felt right,” Ganguly said.
Asked whether Sreesanth could still make a comeback, Ganguly said: “The court has taken away charges from him (Sreesanth), I don’t think BCCI will have a problem. Anyway, it’s up to BCCI now.” Ganguly, however, refused to comment on the legal order.
“It’s too much of a legal matter, I won’t be able to answer this question.”
Former India chief selector K Srikkanth, who was here as the chief guest, refused to comment
on the verdict.