It's wrong to continue ban on Sreesanth: Chandy
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Kochi: Throwing his weight behind tainted Indian pacer S Sreesanth, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Sunday said it was "wrong" on the BCCI's part to not revoke the ban on the bowler after a Delhi Court dropped criminal charges against him in the IPL 2013 spot-fixing case.
"No injustice should be meted out," Chandy said supporting Sreesanth, who is seeking to resume his career after spending two years in wilderness.
"I don't think the BCCI's position on this issue is correct. He was discharged in the spot-fixing case by the court. In such a situation, the Indian board should accept the verdict and lift their ongoing ban," Chandy told PTI here.
All the 36 accused persons including Sreesanth, spinner Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were discharged in the IPL-6 spot-fixing case by Patiala House Court last month but the BCCI had refused to lift their ongoing ban.
"Ours is a democracy. In all aspects of our polity, there is a system of checks and balances...In view of the court decision favouring Sreesanth, the Board should accept his right to return to mainstream cricket. But the Board is taking a different approach...It is wrong. Sreesanth should get justice," the Chief Minister said when asked about the BCCI's decision.
The Kerala Cricket Association had requested the BCCI to allow Sreesanth to play again but Board Secretary Anurag Thakur said there will be no rethink on the life ban of the two cricketers.
"The earlier decision of BCCI's disciplinary committee ban on this case will stay on," Thakur had said.
"Disciplinary proceedings are different, criminal proceedings are different. The action taken in the past were based on the disciplinary action for the indiscipline of these players, reports submitted by the the anti-corruption unit. So the same decision of ban will continue on these players," he had said.
All the three accused cricketers 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 high-profile league, while Chandila's hearing is still on.
