Kolkata/ New Delhi: N Srinivasan can now heave a big sigh of relief. He could be back as president of the Indian cricket board as early as Friday (August 2) at the BCCI's next working committee meeting in New Delhi.
His son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan and India Cements, the company of which he is managing director, have been cleared of all spot fixing allegations, it was revealed on Sunday at the working committee meeting in Kolkata.
(Srinivasan can chair IPL Governing Council meeting: BCCI.)
The Delhi and Mumbai police are yet to complete their investigations into the fixing scandal that rocked IPL season 6 with the arrest of players, bookies and a "team enthusiast" in Gurunath Meiyappan, besides the questioning of Rajasthan Royals' Raj Kundra. But the BCCI's two-member internal panel comprising former judges T. Jayaram Chouta and R. Balasubramanian submitted a report in which “there is no evidence of any wrongdoing against Raj Kundra, India Cements and Rajasthan Royals,“ according to BCCI vicepresident Niranjan Shah.
The credibility of this report, that has no legal standing as the probe members have been appointed by the BCCI itself, is questionable. It will, however, “be forwarded to the IPL governing council, which will take a final decision on August 2,“ said Jagmohan Dalmiya, interim head of the BCCI working committee said. What the “final decision“ to be taken by the IPL governing council on August 2 in the spot fixing case will be is pretty obvious.
Critics kept saying that the whole charade of a probe was always likely to exonerate everyone concerned while cricket and the BCCI give them selves a clean chit. The probe may appear pre-determined, but getting a clean chit from the panel is a significant step forward for Mr Srinivasan, who has to ensure that the decks are cleared before September's annual general meeting, where he can now face the election for president from a position of strength. When asked whether Gurunath Meiyappan had been given a clean chit, BCCI vicepresident Niranjan Shah did not reply. Sources, however, sug gest that Gurunath and Raj Kundra could still be involved in betting, although it is being said privately that there is no clear evidence of that either.
Cops to continue probe into spot fixing scandal

We have sufficient evidence against Meiyappan: Mumbai Police
The BCCI's clean-chit to Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra and N Srinivasan will not affect the probe of IPL spot-fixing and betting scam. The Delhi Police is all set to file the chargesheet in this connection in a day or two.
A police source said that the probe panel was attended by senior Delhi Police officials and everything was discussed. However, no senior police officials were available to comment on the matter.
In Mumbai, an investigating officer of the IPL betting case said that the finding of the probe panel would not affect the Mumbai police's case, as their investigation was restricted to probe the alleged involvement of team principal of CSK Gurunath Meiyappan in the IPL spot-fixing.
“Our case is on betting and we have sufficient and concrete evidence against Mr Meiyappan in the case. We will soon file the chargesheet in the case,“ said PI Nandkumar Gopale of Property Cell, Mumbai Crime Branch.
According to information, a two-judge probe initiated by the BCCI on Sunday, said they found no evidence against Mr Srinivasan and Mr Kundra.