Spot-fixing: Supreme Court says can’t ban IPL, pulls up BCCI

Mangalore Today/NDTV

New Delhi, May 21,2013: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking a stay on the remaining four matches of the Indian Premier League, plagued by the spot-fixing scandal, but has asked India’s cricket board to ensure that "cricket should remain a gentleman’s game."

The top court, while observing that it cannot ban the IPL, has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take action against those found guilty of spot-fixing or manipulating a certain portion of a match.

To identify errant people, it has ordered that a one-man commission investigate the allegations and submit a report within two weeks to the BCCI. 

Slamming the BCCI, the court said, "Definitely there is some kind of irregularity. But the biggest problem is the lackadaisical attitude of the BCCI. It should stop. There has to be some scientific dispassionate and impartial approach to solve these problems."

It also added that it was the duty of the cricket board to act against errant players or teams in case of a controversy.

The public interest writ petition was filed on Monday by social activist Sudarsh Awasti, who also sought that the court order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the scam.

So far, 18 people have been arrested for alleged spot-fixing in the latest edition of the IPL.

Prominent among them are Rajasthan Royals players S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan. All of them have been suspended by the franchise pending an enquiry.

 

Video: