BCCI anti-corruption chief Sawani grills Sreesanth for 3 hours

Tainted cricketer Shantakumaran Sreesanth was the first of four cricketers to depose before the Board of Control for Cricket in India's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit chief, Ravi Sawani, in New Delhi, on Monday.

The Kerala pacer, who was in judicial custody for close to a month on allegations of spot-fixing during an IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab,  dropped in at a five-star hotel to meet with Sawani.

According to reliable sources, Sreesanth was grilled by the ACSU chief for close to three hours.

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"He (Sreesanth) was asked to give his side of the story and a lot of questions were asked by Sawani. It has been learnt that Sreesanth told Sawani the same thing that he had told the Special Cell of Delhi Police during his interrogation in police custody," a BCCI source in the know of things informed.

On the day, it was only Sreesanth who deposed before Sawani.

Ankeet Chavan, another accused in the case, and Gujarat medium pacer Siddharth Trivedi, who has also been suspended for concealing facts, are expected to depose over the next few days.

Ajit Chandila is the only player who won't be able to depose as he is still in police custody.

Clad in light blue half sleeves kurta and blue denims, and sporting a bright red tilak, Sreesanth looked a lot fresher than what he appeared after getting the bail earlier this month.

"He seemed very satisfied after his session with Sawani and told his friends that he is confident of clearing his name. Although he did admit that he is worried about his future in cricket," a friend of the cricketer informed.

Sawani will submit the cricketers' deposition to the disciplinary committee, which will send its recommendations to the working committee that will announce the final verdict.

After the interrogation, Sreesanth took an evening flight for Kochi.

Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters