IPL spot-fixing probe: Will take action if police probe warrants it, says BCCI after clean chit to Gurunath Meiyappan, Raj Kundra

The Indian cricket board says the "clean chit" given by a probe panel to the son-in-law of N Srinivasan - who was forced to step aside as board chief in June - and Rajasthan Royal's owner Raj Kundra will not stand if police investigations find them guilty of spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The panel's report, which is being criticized by many as "eyewash", said it found no evidence against the entities it was investigating - Mr Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals' co-owner Raj Kundra. Sources say it has also cleared the Chennai Super Kings owned by Mr Srinivasan's India Cements. (Also read: Now, West India vs Pak ODIs under anti-corruption glare)

The panel's "clean chit" to his son-in-law may strengthen Mr Srinivasan's case for a comeback to the post that he temporarily relinquished under immense pressure, but the board may not make it easy for him.

Niranjan Shah, vice-president of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), told NDTV that if the police investigation finds Mr Meiyappan or Mr Kundra guilty, the board will act on it. (Suggested read: Shilpa Shetty thanks well-wishers on Twitter)

Sources say the probe report will be studied by BCCI vice-president Arun Jaitley, who will then brief the IPL governing council and the board's top decision-making body, the Working Committee, on Friday in a meeting in New Delhi. Mr Srinivasan is likely to attend the meeting.

Mr Meiyappan, according to the police, had admitted to betting during his custody.

But the panel comprising two former High Court judges cleared his name reportedly after the Mumbai Police, which had investigated the betting and fixing trail that led to Mr Meiyappan, refused to depose before the IPL probe panel without court orders.

The Mumbai police, on the other hand, say it was the board that did not respond to their query. (Don't miss: No cover-up on Dhoni's alleged conflict of interest, says Dalmiya)

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Himanshu Roy, said: "We had written to the BCCI over a month ago asking under what provision we could depose before the panel. But the BCCI never responded."

Mr Srinivasan, who also owns the Chennai franchise, had said that the probe report would be final and binding. He had also denied any knowledge of his son-in-law's alleged role in betting.

Several board members sought Mr Srinivasan's resignation after his son-in-law was arrested on charges of gambling, cheating, and conspiracy in May. After initially refusing to quit, he had finally agreed to step aside at a reportedly stormy emergency meeting in June.

Mr Srinivasan's mentor and former BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya was appointed the interim president to manage the day-to-day affairs of the board.