Spot Fixing scandal claims one more - Son-In-Law of BCCI President

The Spot Fixing controversy - one more has landed in jail. This time it is Gurunath Meiyappan the alleged owner of the Chennai Super Kings and the son-in-law of BCCI President N. Srinivasan. He has been remanded to custody until 29 May 2013.

Mumbai Police claims that it has enough evidence "to conclude his involvement in the spot fixing case."

Gurunath has been been in the limelight until now as the "owner" of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team. Although, now, there are several releases from the Team sources that he Gurunath is not the owner of CSK. These releases are raising questions as to in what capacity did he bid in the auction for "buying" the team members.

So many "insiders" of the BCCI sponsored IPL are involved in Spot Fixing and other irregularities.

• IPL Organizers - Lalit Modi the founding IPL commissioner is charged with irregularities
• Team Owner - CSK management is the latest in the controversy. Alongwith charges of betting he has been accused to leaking team strategy and planning to some of the bookies.
• Players - Three of them are still in custody - in fact their arrest is where this round of the IPL spot fixing controversy started.
• Umpire - Asad Rauf too has been under the scanner
• Bookies - So many have been raided and arrested.

I think, the entire gamut of the IPL cross section (organizers, team owner, players, umpire, bookies) are now involved.

The pressure is now mounting on N. Srinivasan to quit, while he, himself, is defiant that he has not done anything wrong and that he will not quit.

Spot Fixing - Credibility of IPL & BCCI at stake

The chaos around spot fixing in IPL seems to be increasing.

A matter that first hit the media and public attention with the arrest of three players has blown big. The scene has become murkier...

• Film star Vindoo Randhawa (son of late Dara Singh) has been taken into custody, 
• an umpire Asad Rauf has been relieved of his role in the Champions League, and 
• now no less than the Chennai Super Kings CEO and Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan who happens to be the son-in-law of BCCI President N Srinivasan has been summoned by Mumbai Police.

Flip Side of the Investigation

The flip side of the investigation is the fact that Mumbai Police and Delhi Police don't appear to be supporting each others investigations.

We only hope that investigation does not meet the same fate as some of the earlier investigations related to fixing.

Spot Fixing - Is anything un-fixed?

The recent spot fixing fiasco in Delhi  in connection to the Indian Premier League has shaken my confidence in the game.

If reports are true and the three arrested cricketers have actually confessed then the BCCI should take a very tough stand. They must at-least announce the suspension of the arrested trio from all BCCI events until their name is cleared.

The police have said that the arrested cricketers Shreesanth, Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila, all three from Rajasthan Royals IPL team, have confessed to their involvement in the spot fixing controversy. The Police Commissioner of Dehli has addressed the nation saying that there is solid evidence against the three and that he was sure of getting their convictions.

Yet, surprisingly, so little is being done by the people in position in India's cricket control board, the BCCI. The outcome of the meeting of the BCCI top-gun on Sunday afternoon was a absolute turn down. It seems that the management of BCCI is not interested in clearing up the mess.

BCCI - please do something. Cricket is the most liked sport in India and everything must be done to maintain its credibility.

Things beyond the game of cricket

A lot has happened in the international cricket scenario, especially with relevance to India, since I lasted posted on this blog. First the Indo-Pak series in India and then 2 test matches in the current Indian tour of Australia.

After the second test match at Sydney fans of this gentleman's game witnessed happenings that many would have wished never happened. Something that did no good for the great game. At one stage the turn of events indicated that the Indian team might abandon the Australia tour in between and return home. Fortunately, that did not happen. Management of both teams were quick to dismiss all such speculation as rumour.

Sydney Test Match was marred by controversy over the quality of umpiring and the suspension of Harbhajan Singh without conclusive evidence over racial abuse charges. Television clearly played and replayed several times the occasions where bad umpiring was evidently evident.

For once, the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) showed some spine put its foot down over the controversy and insisted that Harbhajan's suspension be revoked, at least until ICC takes the final decision is taken. It also protested over the quality of umpiring. To show its seriousness over the matter BCCI had instructed its team to stay put in Sydney until the matter was resolved.

I found Sachin Tendulkar's stand in the matter very impressive. He had communicated to BCCI chief Sharad Pawar that Harbhajan was not guilty and that the Board should support Harbhajan in the matter. It is believed that it was his suggestion to stay put in Sydney until the suspension is revoked.

Also noteworthy was the support the Indians received from the international media in the matter. Even the media in Australia spoke strongly over the sportsmanship displayed by the Australian side. Some went to the extent of demanding Captain Ricky Ponting's resignation.

The tour was resumed only after ICC suspended the suspension order until it passed a final order in the matter. The controversial umpire too has been replaced for the 3rd test match at Perth.

One can only wish that such events do not repeat.