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Five-year ban on Ajay Jadeja set aside
New Delhi, Jan 27: The five-year ban on flamboyant all-rounder Ajay Jadeja was today quashed, making him eligible for playing international cricket again but he will not be able to participate in the next month`s World Cup.
New Delhi, Jan 27: The five-year ban on flamboyant all-rounder Ajay Jadeja was today quashed, making him eligible for playing international cricket again but he will not be able to participate in the next month`s World Cup.
A Delhi High Court-appointed arbitrator today quashed the
five-year ban imposed on him by cricket board for his alleged
involvement in the match-fixing scandal and cleared him to
play at both domestic and international levels.
However, with the 15-member squad Indian squad for the
World Cup already named, Jadeja cannot participate in the
World Cup in South Africa.
"I hold Madhavan`s (former CBI joint director) report to
be illegal and against the principles of natural justice and
contrary to law and I set aside the same and I also set aside
the findings of the disciplinary committee and ban imposed on
Jadeja on December 5, 2000," arbitrator Justice J K Mehra, a
retired High Court judge, said.
"Jadeja has a right to play domestic and international cricket at all levels as if the ban was not there, but of course subject to his selection by the concerned authorities," said the arbitrator who took just a little over two months to give his ruling.
Jadeja had approached the High Court on February 2, 2001 challenging the BCCI order imposed on the basis of K Madhavan committee recommendations following a preliminary report by CBI indicting both Jadeja and former captain Mohd Azharuddin. was banned for life by BCCI.
Jadeja in his petition before the High Court had also challenged the notice issued to him by the sports ministry asking him to show cause why the Arjuna award given to him be not taken back, and sought quashing of the CBI report indicting him in the match-fixing scandal that erupted after the visit of South African team headed by Hansie Cronje.
When a single judge of the High Court held that Jadeja`s petition was maintainable, BCCI had challenged the same before a division bench of the high court, which later appointed the arbitrator on November one last year.
This decision of the arbitrator declaring the Madhavan committee report as illegal and setting aside the findings of the disciplinary committee of BCCI would have its logical echo on the board`s decision to impose life ban on former captain Mohd Azharuddin for his alleged involvement in the scandal.
Azharuddin had on January 29, 2001 challenged the decision of the cricket board to impose life ban on him before chief civil judge of Hyderabad.
Both Jadeja and Azharuddin had maintained throughout that they had absolutely no involvement in the match-fixing scandal. Bureau Report
"Jadeja has a right to play domestic and international cricket at all levels as if the ban was not there, but of course subject to his selection by the concerned authorities," said the arbitrator who took just a little over two months to give his ruling.
Jadeja had approached the High Court on February 2, 2001 challenging the BCCI order imposed on the basis of K Madhavan committee recommendations following a preliminary report by CBI indicting both Jadeja and former captain Mohd Azharuddin. was banned for life by BCCI.
Jadeja in his petition before the High Court had also challenged the notice issued to him by the sports ministry asking him to show cause why the Arjuna award given to him be not taken back, and sought quashing of the CBI report indicting him in the match-fixing scandal that erupted after the visit of South African team headed by Hansie Cronje.
When a single judge of the High Court held that Jadeja`s petition was maintainable, BCCI had challenged the same before a division bench of the high court, which later appointed the arbitrator on November one last year.
This decision of the arbitrator declaring the Madhavan committee report as illegal and setting aside the findings of the disciplinary committee of BCCI would have its logical echo on the board`s decision to impose life ban on former captain Mohd Azharuddin for his alleged involvement in the scandal.
Azharuddin had on January 29, 2001 challenged the decision of the cricket board to impose life ban on him before chief civil judge of Hyderabad.
Both Jadeja and Azharuddin had maintained throughout that they had absolutely no involvement in the match-fixing scandal. Bureau Report