Chandila gets life ban; Hiken barred for 5 years

Haryana offspinner Ajit Chandila was slapped with a life ban for his involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal, while Mumbai batsman Hiken Shah was handed a five-year suspension for making a corrupt approach to a fellow player as the BCCI disciplinary committee sealed their fate after a meeting in Mumbai on Monday

However, the committee, headed by BCCI president Shashan Manohar and comprising Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah, deferred a decision on Chandila’s co-accused Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf till February 12, giving him a final deadline of February 9 to file his reply.

The 32-year-old Chandila , an off-spinner who was found guilty of spot-fixing during his stint with Rajasthan Royals, was handed a tougher punishment for violating the codes pertaining to accepting bribes, fixing, underperforming, trying to induce a fellow player and betting.

“He is held guilty of misconduct and corruption within the Articles 2.1.1; Article 2.1.2; Article 2.1.3; Article 2.1.4; Article 2.2.2; Article 2.2.3; Article 2.4.1 of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code. Ajit Chandila is banned for Life from playing or representing cricket in any form or to be associated in any way with the activities of the Board or its Affiliates,” BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement.

“The endeavour of BCCI is to clean cricket and any kind of malpractices will be dealt with severely,” Thakur later said at a promotional event.

Batsman Shah, on the other hand, was found guilty of making a corrupt approach to a fellow Mumbai player in the domestic circuit.

“He is held guilty of committing breach of Articles 2.1.1; Article 2.1.2 and Article 2.1.4 of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code. Hiken Shah is banned for five years from playing or representing cricket in any form or to be associated in any way with the activities of the Board or its Affiliates,” the BCCI Secretary said.

The hearing of Rauf was scheduled for Monday but he did not appear in person and sent a reply stating that “no fair enquiry has been conducted in his matter and hence a de novo enquiry be held by appointing another enquiry officer.”

The request was rejected by the Disciplinary Committee.

“The Committee gave him a final opportunity to submit his written statement if any, and produce documents on which he proposes to rely on before February 9, 2016. The date of the hearing and the final order has been scheduled for February 12, 2016 at Cricket Centre, Mumbai,” the BCCI said.

Chandila and Shah had appeared in person before the Committee on December 24 last and were given time till January 4 to file a written response to the charges against them.

The panel met again on January 5 when Shah appeared in person, made an oral submission and a written reply to the findings of the enquiry against him.