Johnson Cherian.
The Kerala High Court on Monday quashed the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) imposition of life ban on cricketer S. Sreesanth in the wake of the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.
The court passed the verdict while allowing a writ petition filed by the fast bowler challenging the decision of the BCCI disciplinary committee.
The cricketer had pointed out that that the decision of the disciplinary committee imposing life ban was taken on the basis of a report prepared by an inquiry commissioner appointed by the earlier BCCI. In fact, the inquiry was conducted without following the principles of natural justice, he alleged. He also pointed out that despite a Delhi Sessions court verdict discharging him from the crime registered in connection with the spot-fixing in 2015, the BCCI refused to lift the ban.
However, the BCCI refuted his contentions saying that Sreesanth had not disclosed in his petition that an appeal filed against the decision of the Sessions Court by the Delhi Police was currently pending before the Delhi High Court.
BCCI had further said that the decision of the Sessions Court to acquit the petitioner from criminal charges had no impact whatsoever on the decision of the internal disciplinary committee of the BCCI to impose a ban the petitioner.
