The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), at its managing committee meeting on Thursday, ratified president Abhay Apte’s decision to suspend Pandurang Salgaonkar as chief curator of the MCA International Stadium and also his membership representing Raigad District till the outcome of an enquiry is known.
Apte, who is a lawyer, will head the enquiry committee.
The former Maharashtra fast bowler, who was looking after his ailing wife in a hospital after supervising work at the match venue, was alleged to have violated the code of behaviour for match officials on the eve of the second One-Day International between India and New Zealand.
He confided details of pitch behaviour, likely scores, how quickly the pitch can be tampered with to the two television journalists.
He also responded positively, when they told him, that the money they would make on the basis of the information supplied by him, would be shared.
While the MCA would begin its enquiry soon, the ICC Anti-Corruption-Unit (ACU) manager, Bir Singh, and the ICC Coordinator, Investigations, Steve Richardson, were in Pune on Thursday to investigate the case and submit a report in a few days.
Salgaonkar’s friends believe that he only bragged a bit, but the BCCI officials believe that he had no right to give pitch-access to the journalists and pass on vital information.
Sources told The Hindu , that Salgaonkar did not heed to the BCCI certified curator Ramesh Mhamunkar’s advice.
Many people connected with the MCA feel that the Supreme Court- appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) should have reacted promptly to a letter addressed to them by a MCA managing committee member Madhav Ranade.
Ranade, a former State player, had informed the CoA, after an MCA Managing Committee meeting on August 26, that efforts were being made to “marginalise” Abhay Apte and also that he should be “shown in poor light by by sabotaging the match between India and New Zealand to be held in Pune, by any means possible including the floodlights being switched off or failing at a crucial moment.”
