In what will come as a huge relief for
cricketers Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and
Ankit Chavan, a Delhi trial court
discharged all the charges against
them in the IPL Spot Fixing case.
Insufficient evidence against the
players was cited as the reason for the
verdict.
It was earlier reported that the Delhi
Police sought permission to investigate
further into the Lodha Committee
findings.
The prosecution can go ahead and
take the case further to a higher court
if needed but as of now, the cricketers
are free to approach the BCCI once
again and there is room for them to
start playing again. They were given
life bans earlier by a BCCI Committee
after the three were arrested in 2013
with relation to spot-fixing.
"It was the worst time of my life. God
was on my side. I wanted the decision
to come as soon as possible. It feels
like I have woken up from a bad dream.
Now I will see you guys on the cricket
field," said Chandila to reporters after
the verdict.
"It is easy to dream to play for India. I
am only 32," said a visibly relieved
Sreesanth after the verdict, "I have
faced a lot of difficulties. I thank all
the people who supported me and my
well-wishers all over the world.
Thanks to everyone. I will try to
resume training soon. Hopefully I get
permission from BCCI to start training
and come under the selection process.
I want to play cricket."
The three cricketers were given bail
earlier after the court found that there
was no prima facie evidence showing
that they had been involved in match-
fixing and insufficient evidence under
the Maharashtra Control of Organised
Crime Act (MCOCA). Delhi police had
said that underworld kingpin Dawood
Ibrahim was controlling the betting
syndicate and was involved in match-
fixing as well.
While there was insufficient evidence
for the Court to proceed a criminal case
against those accused, Sreesanth and
the other cricketers will still have to
prove that they were not guilty of
other wrong-doings such as spot-
fixing to the BCCI if their bans have to
be overturned. All three cricketers
have said that they will wait to read
the entire court verdict and
understand what it says before
approaching BCCI to play cricket.
BCCI, however, is reported to have said
that it will not revoke the ban on
Sreesanth, Chandila and Chavan
despite the court's verdict.
© Cricbuzz
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