Kundra suspended in 'Operation C�lean-up'

Stung by the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandals, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday cracked the whip by suspending Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra on charges of gambling and unveiled a 12-point 'Operation Clean-up' in a bid to restore the Twenty20 League's credibility.

The BCCI's all-powerful working committee, which gathered for an emergency meeting here, discussed the raging scandal and took the decision to suspend Kundra pending an inquiry. He became the second team owner, after N Srinivasan's son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings Team principal Gurunath Meiyappan, to be suspended from cricketing activities. The Board also decided that the two-member panel comprising Justice T Jayaram Chouta and Justice R Balasubramanian which is currently investigating Meiyappan and CSK would also probe Kundra and the Rajasthan Royals.

"The Working Committee decided to suspend Raj Kundra on allegations of gambling on IPL VI matches till the pendency of inquiry," BCCI's interim chief Jagmohan Dalmiya told reporters after the meeting. "Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar had grilled Kundra for 11 hours and he had admitted to gambling in IPL matches and also IPL CEO Sundar Raman has got a complaint from a closed source. I will not reveal the name of the source," he said.

"Obviously, Rajasthan Royals' role in the whole issue is being looked into but without getting hold of the facts, we don't want to frighten anybody," he added when asked why Rajasthan Royals have not been suspended from the IPL. Dalmiya was forced to call the meeting after the Delhi Police claimed that Kundra, a minority (11.7 per cent) shareholder in Rajasthan Royals, had confessed to betting during the IPL matches. If the charges are proved, Rajasthan Royals face the prospect of being terminated from the IPL and to avoid this fate, the franchise has already distanced itself from Kundra.

Among other decisions, the working committee ratified the name of Sanjay Patel as the Secretary and also elected Mumbai Cricket Association President Ravi Sawant as the Treasurer, a post left vacant by Ajay Shirke in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal. "As is the process of natural justice, the players, once they are out of judicial custody, will be summoned for presenting their side of the story before the final verdict is pronounced," Dalmiya added.

Sreesanth, Chavan get bail New Delhi (IANS): A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to suspended cricketer S Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila who have been booked under the provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the IPL spot fixing scandal. Additional Session Judge V K Khanna also granted bail to 15 bookies on personal bonds of Rs.50,000 each. Report: Sports Page