25 December,2015 08:11 AM IST | | Harit N Joshi
Ajit Chandila is confident of a fair trial after his first appearance with BCCI’s disciplinary committee which will seal his and Hiken Shah's fate on January 5
Tainted Rajasthan Royals cricketer Ajit Chandila after his disciplinary meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai yesterday
Though the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) disciplinary committee has reserved its decision on Ajit Chandila (accused of spot fixing in the Indian Premier League by a BCCI probe) and Hiken Shah (accused of flouting the BCCI anti-corruption code) till January 5, lanky Chandila, wearing a white shirt and maroon chinos, stepped out of the BCCI headquarters with a bright smile.
Also Read: BCCI to decide fate of tainted cricketers Ajit Chandila and Hiken Shah this week
Tainted Rajasthan Royals cricketer Ajit Chandila after his disciplinary meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble
While Shah escaped the media by exiting from the back entrance, Chandila faced the media without any qualms.
He had a sheet of paper which was the transcript of a Q&A with BCCI's disciplinary committee that consists of president Shashank Manohar, Niranjan Shah and Jyotiradityarao Scindia (present via video-conference). BCCI's former ACSU chief Ravi Sawani was also present when the duo were questioned for nearly an hour.
Also Read: BCCI to decide fate of Ajit Chandila and Hiken Shah next month
This was the first time Chandila was called by the BCCI to hear his side of the story. "I was waiting for this day. I have full faith in this BCCI committee that I will be given a fair trial. My God is my lawyer. I am keen to play for my state (Haryana) and have the ambition of representing my country," Chandila told reporters.
Chandila said there was no fresh line of questioning by the disciplinary committee. "They asked me the same questions that the Delhi police asked. I gave the same answers as I told the court. We all know what the Delhi court's verdict is," said Chandila.
Rajasthan Royals' Chandila, S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan, who were accused of spot fixing in 2013 IPL, were acquitted by a trial court in Delhi in July after the Delhi police failed to substantiate charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
However, the Delhi police have decided to challenge the Delhi court's verdict for which the trio have been served a notice again.
Shah was accused of approaching his Mumbai Ranji Trophy teammate to fix matches. He approached the Bombay High Court, challenging the BCCI's suspension but the Bombay HC dismissed his petition on the grounds that Shah should approach the BCCI's disciplinary committee.
Chandila and Shah have been asked to file a written reply by January 4, a day before the verdict. The disciplinary committee also decided to issue a notice to former Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf to respond to the charges against him.
