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IPL-6 spot-fixing: Court sets July 25 for framing charges

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 11:58 IST

Former Rajasthan Royals cricketer S Sreesanth. Photograph: BCCI

The order on framing of charges in the IPL-6 spot-fixing case, in which suspended cricketers Ajit Chandila, Shantakumaran Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and others, including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel are accused, was deferred to July 25 by a Delhi court. 

Additional Sessions judge Neena Bansal Krishna, who was scheduled to pass the order on Monday, said the order sheet is not prepared yet. 

The court fixed the matter for pronouncement of the order on July 25, saying it will seek clarifications, if any, in the matter.

The court had, on May 23, reserved for Monday the order on framing of charges in the case and asked the counsel appearing for the accused to file their written arguments, if any, by June 6. 

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had named 42 accused in the case in its charge-sheet, six of whom are absconding. 

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

Ajit Chandila. Photograph: BCCI

During the arguments on framing of charges in the case, the police referred to telephonic conversations among the accused to buttress their claim that they were involved in match-fixing and betting. 

It had also alleged that call detail records clearly reflect the linkage of accused persons who were part of a crime syndicate to generate money. 

Meanwhile, the advocates representing the accused countered the police's submissions, contending that the probe had failed to show commission of any prima facie offence by their clients. 

The defence counsel also argued that there was prima facie no evidence to frame charges 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. 

Police had informed the court that Dawood had properties in his name at Dongri in Mumbai whereas Shakeel owned properties in Nagpada there. The court had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against Dawood and Shakeel, Pakistan-based Javed Chutani, Salman alias Master and Ehteysham, who all are considered to be Dawood's associates. 

The police had filed a 6,000-page charge sheet against various accused in the case. It had also filed supplementary charge sheet later on. The court had granted bail to Sreesanth, Chavan and various others accused for lack of evidence against them under the provisions of stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). 

Other accused, including Chandila, were also granted bail later on by the court. 

The police, in its charge sheet, had claimed that Dawood and Shakeel, who have been "controlling the fixing and betting market" in cricket in India, were behind the IPL spot-fixing.

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