Maharashtra cricketer Abhijit Kale, who is accused of offering two Indian selectors a bribe of Rs one million each for a place in the India 'A' team, has been suspended from playing first class cricket by the Board of Control for Cricket in India pending an inquiry into the allegation.
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BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said Bar Council of India chairman D V Subbarao has been appointed the Commissioner of Inquiry and been given 15 days to submit his report to the Board.
After the Commissioner's report is received, Dalmiya said, it will be referred to the Board's disciplinary committee.
The Board's decision has been conveyed to Kale and all affiliated units of the BCCI, including the Maharashtra Cricket Association to which Kale belongs.
Dalmiya said the inquiry was ordered after the Board received a written report from two national selectors, Kiran More and Pranab Roy, late last night.
He said he was verbally informed about Kale offering money for selection to the India 'A' team during the tri-series final in Kolkata, between India and Australia last week.
"I advised the two selectors to report the matter in writing immediately since it involved legal ramifications," the BCCI chief said.
The very next day the matter was reported to the MCA representatives who were in the city for the final, Dalmiya said, adding the matter was also referred to the BCCI's legal counsel.
According to Dalmiya, Roy, in his report, said he was approached by Kale with an offer of monetary inducement of Rs one million lakh for a place in the Indian team. 'I reprimanded him for his audacity and misdemeanour and he apologised,' said Roy in his report, according to Dalmiya.
Dalmiya quoted More as stating in his report that 'Kale repeatedly called me over phone and tried to offer money to get selected. The manner in which he approached me is unethical and might have spoilt the image of the game in the country'.
None of the selectors, however, mentioned when they were offered these inducements, but both indicated that Kale called them on more than once to seek selection to the team.
Apparently, the offers were made before November 13, when the national selectors met in Bangalore to pick 20 probables for the Australian trip. The final 16 were named in Hyderabad two days later.
Asked whether More's letter had specified the amount allegedly offered by Kale, Dalmiya replied, "These details you will know once the inquiry is held. I have acted as per prima facie evidence ... on the basis of whatever information I had. The Commissioner of Inquiry asked me to initiate the process quickly as applying the principle of natural justice is important."
The BCCI chief said the controversy has "definitely" sullied India's image in the cricketing world.
"Definitely such things cause loss of face. But I'm more concerned and worried that such things have happened. It has to be nipped in the bud," he said.
Dalmiya described as "personal opinion" India skipper Sourav Ganguly's defence of Kale in Chennai today.
"Whatever is the truth will come out once the inquiry is held. The disciplinary committee will then deal with the matter as per our rules," he said.
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