Agencies
New Delhi, July 25
A Delhi court dropped on Saturday all charges against cricketers S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan in a spot-fixing case in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
Additional sessions judge Neena Bansal Krishna said all accused were discharged in the case. The decision was followed by loud cries of joy from the accused and their families.
Former India pacer Sreesanth broke down, "My daughter will be so happy and I am very relieved that my innocence is proved."
The three Rajasthan Royals cricketers were arrested in May 2013 for alleged spot-fixing in some matches of the sixth edition of the controversial domestic T20 league.
The players were let off on bail later after the court found there was not enough evidence to charge them under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), a special law to tackle organised crime syndicates.
The judge had on May 23 reserved the order on framing of charges in the case for June 29 and asked the counsel appearing for the accused to file their written arguments, if any, by June 6.
Just ahead of the announcement of the verdict, Delhi Police ACP Manishi Chandra told HT that cops will appeal any "unfavourable order" in the high court. He said the appeal would likely be filed after studying the order.During the hearing, Delhi Police moved a last-minute plea to further investigate the case against Sreesanth and 42 others.
Police said the Justice Lodha commission provided city police with the records of other investigative agencies as well. According to police, this had thrown up "new evidence" against a company called Betfair.com, which was not investigated.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police had named 42 accused in the case in its chargesheet. Six of them are absconding. Among the accused are underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel. The duo have been declared proclaimed offenders by the court.
With regard to the underworld dons accused in the case, the court had earlier declared Dawood and Shakeel proclaimed offenders for evading arrest.
Chronology of events
Following is the chronology of events in IPL 6 spot-fixing and betting scandal in which a Delhi court on Saturday discharged all the accused in the case:
May 16, 2013: Rajasthan Royals players - S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - arrested by Delhi Police.
May 28: IPL Governing Council sets up Inquiry Committee to probe the case.
June 2: BCCI president N Srinivasan relinquishes BCCI duties temporarily.
June 11: Sreesanth and Chavan granted bail.
July 30: Delhi police files charge sheet, naming Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel as persons who have been controlling the fixing and betting market in cricket in India
September 9: Ajit Chandila granted bail by a Delhi court.
Others also granted bail over a passage of time.
November 18: Delhi police files supplementary charge sheet in the case.
May 31, 2014: Court orders property attachment of Dawood and others.
September 30: Court declares Dawood, Chhota Shakeel and one other as proclaimed offenders.
May 23, 2015: Court reserves order on framing of charges in the case.
July 25: All 36 accused discharged in the case.
Former India pacer S Sreesanth and two other cricketers, who were discharged of spot-fixing charges by a Delhi Court on Saturday, found it tough to control their emotions and said they were desperate to make a comeback after two years of ignominy.
Sreesanth, Mumbai left-arm spinner Ankeet Chavan and Rajasthan off-spinner Ajit Chandila were literally in tears when the Patiala House Court dropped all charges of spot- fixing against them pertaining to the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.
"I am feeling very happy at the moment and hope that I start training soon. I hope to get permission from the BCCI to start using the training facilities soon, so that I can get fit and get into the selection process. God has been extremely kind," a visibly drained Sreesanth told reporters outside the court.
"I am born to play cricket. I am a cricketer first. BCCI has been very supportive all through. TC Mathew Sir in Kerala had told me that you finish this and we will take it from there. The worst that can happen to a cricketer is stay behind the National Stadium and not be able to use it. I went through a lot of things but it is past now. I would love to be able to run there. I just couldn't control my tears," he said.
Similar were the emotions expressed by Chavan and Chandila, both of whom said that they cannot wait to return to the field.
All three had to spend time in jail during the course of investigation. Of the three, Sreesanth and Chavan are currently serving life bans imposed by the BCCI after the scandal shook the league, while Chandila's hearing is still on.
"So far I just know that I have been given a discharge and now I am looking forward to play cricket. So let's see how it goes. I am taking it step by step. It was tough for me as a cricketer. It was a tough time but I got through with support from family and friends. I am sure I will be back to cricket again," said Chavan.
