IPL fixing: Justice Mudgal committee submits interim report

Acting on the Supreme Court directive, Justice (Retired) Mukul Mudgal committee has submitted its Indian Premier League (IPL) fixing probe report to the apex court on Friday. However, the case will be heard on September 1. The Supreme Court had set a deadline of August-end for submitting the report.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Acting on the Supreme Court directive, Justice (Retired) Mukul Mudgal committee has submitted its Indian Premier League (IPL) fixing investigation interim report to the apex court on Friday. However, the case will be heard on September 1. Earlier, the Supreme Court had set a deadline of August-end for submitting the interim report.

As expected the committee sought two month extension to complete the investigation on the case. The report in a sealed envelope was submitted to the court by a senior lawyer instead of senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who had previously acted as an amicus curiae for the Supreme Court. Earlier, the committee met the investigators in Chennai on Wednesday and Thursday.

On August 20, a statement was released saying the committee has no intention to travel abroad for any interaction with players. The release summed up, “any interaction with the players during a series may disturb their poise and concentration.”

The spot fixing and betting scandal hit the 2013 edition of IPL, with Delhi Police arresting three Rajasthan Royals cricketers – S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – in a midnight raid in Mumbai. Then, Mumbai police also unearthed betting links after they arrested Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief N. Srinivasan, and Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh.

Last October, the apex court had constituted the Justice Mukul Mudgal panel to investigate the spot-fixing and betting case in the case-rich IPL. The three-member panel led by Justice Mudgal, a retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, has Additional Solicitor General L Nageswara Rao and senior advocate Nilay Dutta in the committee.

And on February 10, the committee submitted its first report to the court after conducting a four-month long probe. It is learnt that cricketers, board officials, cops, lawyers and even journalists had deposed before the panel and depositions were recorded during the probe on equipment provided by BCCI.

In the follow up, the court had asked the committee to continue its investigation of the persons named in the sealed envelope and the committee was also given greater powers to effectively conduct its probe. After agreeing to lead the investigation, Justice (Retired) Mudgal had listed for specific organisations and individuals whose assistance he would require, which included a former India cricketer "of repute and integrity".

The committee, which is being assisted by former senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer BB Mishra, has been given all investigative powers, including search and seizure of relevant documents and recording evidence. However, it cannot carry out any arrests. The committee was assured of assistance from one senior police officer each from Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi.