Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI ), to uplift the ban on S Sreesanth, for his alleged involvement in spot – fixing in IPL during 2013.
The news comes after he had filed a petition in the High Court, challenging the BCCI’s decision to not lift the ban on him, despite a Delhi trial Court clearing him of the charges on 25th July 2015.
Justice A Mohammad Mustaque in his order also put aside all the charges against Sreesanth initiated by the BCCI.
According to media reports, the court said, “when evidence is in the nature of circumstantial evidence, that evidence ought to have been appreciated as a whole. Dissecting evidence in such manner suited to the disciplinary committee resulted in losing it’s dimension to find out the truth. If evidence as a whole is appreciated, it can easily be concluded that Sreesanth had no direct link in spot – fixing or betting. ”
Earlier the BCCI had revoked the decision of Delhi court, on the grounds that, ” the decision of the sessions to acquit the petitioner from the criminal charges has no impact, whatsoever, on the decision of the internal disciplinary committee of BCCI to ban the petitioner from playing cricket tournaments held by BCCI and /or it’s affiliates.”
The BCCI had earlier, taken it’s decision based on two sets of evidences provided by the police. One was an audio recording of a telephonic conversation between Sreesanth’s close friend Jiju Janardhanan and a bookie, the other evidence was a confession repoetedly made by Sreesanth to police.
The High Court, disagreeing with the BCCI pointed out that no emphasis should be given on the confession, as there is no valid proof whether it was voluntarily made, when the player has already reported that it was forced out of him.
The recorded audio do not clearly show Sreesanth’s direct involvement in spot – fixing. Hence, even if he was involved, four years ban on him is sufficient, the judgement read.
At the same time the court also blamed Sreesanth for not exposing Jiju Janardhanan as he was directly invlved in betting with the bookies. “Complacency in the matter on the part of Sreesanth is really condemable. He should have publicly disapproved the conduct of Jiju,” the court added.
It was Complacency that made the BCCI suspicious about him. However, the court refused to give him any further punishment, considering the four year ban the player have served, to be sufficient.
Sreesanth who was relieved with the order, told the Hindustan Times, ” many people supported me ( through ) thick and thin. They stood with me. I am really indebted to them and I will not let them down.”
The player who was last seen playing in the 2013 IPL, considered himself to be fully fit and looks all set to reignite his career, on the light of the new dawn.
However, the BCCI is yet to make a decision regarding this, having already denied the player a no objection certificate to play league cricket for Glenrothes CC in Scotland.