Ajit Chandila was banned for life and Hiken Shah for five years for their involvement in the match-fixing scandal during the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced on Monday.
The BCCI's Disciplinary Committee, headed by president Shashank Manohar and also comprising Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah, made the decision after a meeting in Mumbai.
Chandila and Shah appeared in person before the committee on December 24, 2015 and were given time till January 4 to file a written response to the charges against them.
The committee met again on January 5, when Shah appeared in person, made an oral submission and a written reply to the findings of the inquiry against him.
The 32-year-old Chandila was arrested by the police for trying to spot-fix IPL matches in 2013 along with his Rajasthan Royals teammates Shantakumaran Sreesanth and Ankit Chavan, both of whom were banned for life by the BCCI.
"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," read a statement from BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.
Speaking later at a promotional event, Thakur said, "The endeavour of BCCI is to clean cricket and any kind of malpractices will be dealt with severely."
Shah, a batsman, 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’s statement added.
The BCCI deferred a decision on Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf till February 12, giving him a final deadline of February 9 to file his reply.
It is believed that Rauf was in touch with Vindoo Randhawa, who was arrested in the IPL spot-fixing/betting case for alleged links with bookies.
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.
Image (Bottom left): Mumbai batsman Hiken Shah
Photograph: Harish Kotian/Rediff.com
