I'm innocent, never indulged in spot-fixing: Sreesanth

"I am innocent and have done no wrong. I have never indulged in any spot-fixing," suspended pacer Shantakumaran Sreesanth, who is an accused in the IPL spot-fixing case, said on Tuesday.

In a statement e-mailed to the media by his lawyer Rebecca John, the cricketer said, "I have never indulged in any spot-fixing and I have always played cricket in the spirit of the game.”

Sreesanth, who was remanded to further five-day police custody by Metropolitan Magistrate Soumya Chauhan earlier on Tuesday, added, "As a cricketer, I have learnt to take knocks along with accolades, in my stride. I recognise that I am going through a tough period in my life.

"I have utmost faith in our judicial process and I am confident that with time I will be proved innocent, and my honour and dignity will be vindicated and restored."

Dressed in a blue T-shirt and jeans, Sreesanth was apparently unmindful of the huge crowd of lawyers and mediapersons in the courtroom.

The police, on Tuesday, also invoked section 409 IPC (criminal breach of trust) against Sreesanth, his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandalia and 12 other accused, including bookies and mediators.

Image:  Shantakumaran Sreesanth

Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani