IPL-6 spot-fixing scandal: Court to pass order on charge on May 23

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday fixed May 23 for pronouncing order on framing of charges in the IPL-6 spot fixing scandal case in which suspended cricketers S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan and others, including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel, are accused.

Additional Sessions Judge Neena Bansal Krishna reserved the order after special public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan filed written submissions in support of his arguments advanced in the case.

Special Cell of Delhi Police had chargesheeted 42 accused in the case out of which six are absconding.

The investigation conducted by the police in the case had earlier come under scrutiny of the court which had questioned its theory of "match fixing", saying there was prima facie no evidence showing that matches were fixed by the accused.

During the arguments on framing of charges, the police had referred to the telephonic conversations among the accused claiming they were involved in match-fixing and betting.

The prosecutor had said that call detail records (CDRs) clearly reflect the linkage of the accused persons who were part of a crime syndicate to generate money.

Countering the arguments advanced by police, the counsel appearing for the accused had argued that police had failed to show commission of any prima facie offence by the accused in the case.

The defence counsel had also argued that there was prima facie no evidence to frame charge in the case.

The court had earlier declared Dawood and Shakeel as proclaimed offenders as they are evading arrest in the matter.

Police had told the court that properties of Dawood and Shakeel in Mumbai have already been attached in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and that they have not visited India since 1993.