IPL spot fixing: Delhi High Court to hear plea against discharge of accused

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today agreed to hear the appeal challenging the clean chit given to all the accused, including India's test discard S Sreesanth and two other cricketers Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, in the sensational 2013 IPL-6 spot-fixing case.

The court, however, adjourned the matter for November 18, after the counsel for the Delhi police requested for it on personal grounds.

"On the request of the Additional Solicitor General, matter is adjourned for November 18," Justice Siddharth Mridul said.

The Delhi police had moved the High Court on September 2, challenging the trial court's July 25 order giving clean chit to all the accused in IPL-6 spot-fixing case.

The trial court's verdict said investigators had failed to gather "all necessary ingredients to establish a prima facie case" under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The trial court had dropped all charges against 36 accused, holding that the Special Cell of Delhi Police had been unable to establish any "nexus" or link between the accused and crime syndicate allegedly run by fugutive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his close aide Chhota Shakeel, who were declared proclaimed offenders in the case along with one Sandeep.

Three other accused -- Javed Chutani, Salman and Ehtesham -- were Pakistani nationals and police could not lay their hands on them.

Assailing the verdict, the appeal contended that the trial court had erroneously interpreted MCOCA and its order was unsustainable.