IPL spotfixing: Handicapped because we can't control bookies, says BCCI chief

Board of Control for Cricket in India president N Srinivasan has said that while the BCCI remained committed to supporting investigations, it is "handicapped" as it has no control over bookies. He also added that every player and official had been briefed in detail by the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) before the start of IPL 6.

Speaking to members of the press after the Working Committee's meeting on Sunday, Srinivasan said that the Board had done everything in its capacity to educate players. "It's not that we have not done anything. Players and other officials were briefed extensively before the event," he said.

Srinivasan said that the Board had been informed that the Rajasthan Royals' management will file a First Information Report (FIR) against the arrested players for their alleged involvement in spot-fixing Indian Premier League games. "They (players) are contracted by the franchise and they have already said they will file a complaint."

Srinivasan also said that now, a new system will be put into place. "Players and their agents, representatives will have to be ratified by the BCCI and ACSU. We will put in place all measures to the maximum extent possible to monitor player behaviour." Sleepless nights, no baths for Sreesanth

The BCCI had suspended Sreesanth, Chavan, Chandila and Amit Singh as soon as police pressed charges against them. The players, who were arrested at various places in Mumbai in the early hours of Thursday, are alleged to have 'fixed' at least three specific overs in separate games in return for huge sums of money. Singh allegedly played the role of a middleman.

Saying that the Board has already asked Delhi Police to share details of its investigations, Srinivasan added that it also will support them, if needed.

Srinivasan had earlier promised to "come down like a ton of bricks" if the players were proved guilty. He had said the IPL was otherwise clean and the tournament was a pride for the Indian cricket Board.

The International Cricket Council has also joined the BCCI to investigate the matter. "We are not a law-enforcing body and we don't have the powers of the State. We have limitations, but we will make sure the players are punished if they are proven guilty," Srinivasan had said on Thursday. The BCCI has its own Anti-Corruption Unit and has zero tolerance against match-fixing and doping.

Rajasthan Royals have also launched a comprehensive internal investigation. The IPL franchise has promised to make all information available to the authorities to assist with any on-going inquiries.

Mumbai Police is also assisting its Delhi counterpart in the investigations.

Raids at a Mumbai hotel have unearthed a laptop, mobile phones, iPads and cash worth Rs 72,000 from the two rooms in which Sreesanth and his friend and alleged bookie Jiju Janardhan were staying.

Diaries, written in English and Malayalam, were also recovered from the cricketer's room. Cops say several of the entries were made by Sreesanth himself. Sreesanth had independently checked into a five-star hotel in suburban Mumbai on May 13, along with Jiju, just two days before their arrest.