The Supreme Court will hear next week a public interest litigation petition seeking a CBI probe into the IPL spot-fixing case.
A vacation Bench of Justices Ms. Gyan Sudha Misra and Madan B. Lokur posted the matter to next week on a ‘mention’ by counsel for Sharmila Ghuge, professor of law from Mumbai, about the filing of the PIL.
The petitioner said the 6th IPL (2013) had crossed all limits in controversies and the greed of players, with most of them intending to earn more and more money. Though allegations were that of betting, spot-fixing, match-fixing, etc., which would attract the provisions of the Gambling Act, punishable with lesser imprisonment, the repercussions of the crime were gigantic and monstrous for society at large.
She said both the Mumbai and Delhi Police had registered different cases of spot-fixing, match-fixing and betting. “Although the allegations are very serious in nature, from newspaper reports it seems the investigating agencies had not booked the accused by applying proper Sections/provisions of law. Nor there appears to be following of proper legal steps to ensure that the culprits are suitably punished. Further, there seems to be total non-coordination among the two investigating agencies, which is bound to benefit the wrongdoers.”
‘Show no leniency’
The petitioner said, “Cricket being the most widely played sport in India, it indisputably poses a challenge before the youths of the nation who dwell upon cricket players as their idols. It is the need of the hour to thoroughly investigate this matter and take the toughest possible action without any leniency towards the wrongdoers by involving a specialised agency to investigate the matter by an unbiased, fair and just procedure.”
She alleged that both the Mumbai and Delhi police, along with some politicians and other influential persons, were acting hand-in-glove to save the real culprits. They were trying to bury the issue of spot-fixing and match-fixing by not booking and arresting the real culprits only because of their high influence despite their real involvement in the present illegality and despite having material against them. Therefore, the huge racket needed to be exposed.
“There is a possibility of involvement of a large number of criminals, politicians, as well as number of influential persons. It has, therefore, become necessary that the investigation of the said crimes registered with the Mumbai Police as well as the Delhi Police be ordered to be investigated by the CBI, so that the real truth may come out,” the petitioner said.
