Court proposes Mudgal panel to probe spot-fixing

The bench also proposed the names of senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General N Nageshwar Rao and Assam Cricket Association member Nilay Dutta to be part of the panel.

The Supreme Court on Monday suggested that a committee, headed by the former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mukul Mudgal, be constituted to probe spot-fixing in IPL matches involving BCCI president N. Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunathan Meiyappan.

A Bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and J.S. Khehar made this proposal to senior counsel Aryama Sundaram, who appeared for the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), and senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan, who appeared for Mr. Srinivasan.

Besides Justice Mudgal, the panel will have Additional Solicitor-General L. Nageswara Rao and BCCI member Niloy Datta as its members.

Justice Patnaik told counsel: “We have full confidence in these persons, who are knowledgeable about and familiar with cricket. They are committed to cricket and they are persons of integrity. Let them make an inquiry and submit a report, including remedial measures, to this court. We will consider them.”

Earlier, Mr. Sundaram submitted a proposal. Under it, “the BCCI will constitute a special purpose committee, headed by Arun Jaitley, and none of the members of the committee chosen by Mr. Jaitley will be involved in any IPL activity… The committee will go into all matters in connection with the charge sheet filed by the Maharashtra police without the involvement of any other member of the IPL. Such committee will also consider independently whether any further internal inquiry is to be made, and if so, shall make the same without any involvement of any member of the IPL and advise the BCCI. The BCCI will act upon its recommendations. Mr. Srinivasan shall not participate in any of its meetings… He shall not participate, or involve himself, in the functioning of the committee in regard to the nomination of its members or any action to be taken by them.”

Senior counsel Abhishek Singhvi and senior counsel Nalini Chidambaram, who appeared for the Cricket Association of Bihar, said the committee should be independent, and there should be no police involvement. Mr. Srinivasan should await the report of the inquiry committee before taking charge as BCCI president.

The Bench adjourned the hearing to Tuesday.