The tainted Pakistani trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir, at the centre of a ‘spot—fixing’ scandal’, were released without charge after being questioned by the Scotland Yard here.
Officers of the Scotland Yard questioned Test captain Butt and pace bowlers Aamir and Asif, who were suspended by the International Cricket Council on Friday and charged with offences under its anti—corruption code for “alleged irregular behaviour” during last week’s Lord’s Test.
Elizabeth Robertson, the lawyer for the three players said, “Mohammad Aamir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt have been questioned under caution by the Metropolitan Police and released without charge.”
“They voluntarily attended Kilburn police station to answer questions relating to allegations published in the News of the World.
“At no time were they placed under arrest, they were free to leave at any time and they have answered all of the questions that were put to them and have been released without charge or conditions,” she added.
She said the Pakistan Cricket Board and the three players would continue to cooperate fully with the Metropolitan Police and the ICC investigation and they “look forward to a timely and satisfactory outcome.”
Aamir, Asif and Butt were named in a sting operation by tabloid ‘The News of the World’ which showed a bookie Mazhar Majeed boasting about how the three conspired to bowl deliberate no—balls in the Lord’s Test against England after being paid by him.
