IPL spot-fixing: Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan indicted

NEW DELHI: Heating up the IPL spot-fixing scandal, Justice Mudgal report on Monday said that the allegations of betting and passing of information against Gurunath Meiyappan stand proved. "The conflict of interest on Srinivasan holding the post of BCCI chief and ownership of IPL franchisee is a serious issue and needs to be considered," said the report which was submitted to the Supreme Court.

Meiyappan was the face of Chennai Super Kings, said the report, while rejecting N Srinivasan's contention that he was merely a cricket enthusiast. The report goes on to say that the allegations of fixing require further investigation. "Allegations of betting and spot fixing against Rajasthan Royals' Raj Kundra need to be further investigated," said the report.

The committee has given names of people who figured during the probe in a sealed envelope to the apex court. "BCCI office bearers should not have powers to curtail and restrict or define any such probe," the report said. "BCCI should not wait for media to probe, but take proactive approach against players and bookies," it added.

The committee has given a ten-point suggestion to SC for making cricket a "cleaner" game and eliminating evil of spot and match fixing. The report has favoured noted players - Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman, V Prasad, Kumble and said that they should advise youngsters about the malaise of fixing. "Retired armed force personnel, police officers should be recruited by BCCI to handle cases of corruption and match fixing," the report added.

The SC appointed the committee after a petition was filed against the BCCI probe panel which exonerated Meiyappan and team owners but imposed varied bans on cricketers.

The committee specifically focused on the alleged roles of Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals team players in two IPL scandal cases registered by Mumbai and Delhi Police.

Meiyappan was chargesheeted in September 21 along with actor Vindoo Dara Singh and 20 others by Mumbai police in the IPL betting case, four months after the scandal had rocked the cricketing world. They have been charged with forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy, among others.