MUMBAI: Indian pacer Mohammed Shami’s troubles are mounting by the day. It was reported by TOI on Wednesday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had asked its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) to “look into the Shami issue” after his wife Hasin Jahan had levelled match fixing allegations against him.
On Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court-run Committee of Administrators (CoA) head Vinod Rai wrote an e-mail (a copy is with TOI) to ACU head Neeraj Kumar, asking him to investigate these charges and submit a report within a week. The mail has also been marked to all the office-bearers of the BCCI and CEO, Rahul Johri.
“This has reference to the various media reports pertaining to allegations against Shami. The CoA has listened to the audio recording of a telephonic conversation which it is claimed is between Shami and his wife. The said audio recording is available in public domain. The CoA is concerned only with such portion of the said audio recording in which the person who it is claimed is Shami is heard saying another person by the name of “Mohammed Bhai” had sent money to Shami through a Pakistani lady by the name of “Alisba,” writes Rai.
Jahan has alleged that Shami could be involved in match-fixing as he accepted money from a Pakistani girl named Alisbah in Kolkata after being convinced by one England-based Mohammad Bhai.
Spelling out the areas which Kumar needs to probe in this case, Rai says: “Please investigate the above assertions/ allegations under the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code and submit a report to the CoA with your findings as to whether there is any basis to proceed further in terms thereof.
The investigation should cover (i) the identity and antecedents of “Mohammad Bhai” and “Alisba”; (ii) whether any money was in fact sent by the said Mohammad Bhai through the said Alisba to Shami; and (iii) if yes, the purpose for which the said money was received by Shami.”
As Shami’s contract has been withheld by the BCCI after Jahan’s allegations, Rai then gives a seven-day deadline to Kumar to submit his report on the issue.
“Since the CoA has decided to hold back Shami’s player contract pending submission of your report as aforesaid, you are requested to submit the said report at the earliest and preferably no later than seven days from today,” writes the CoA head.
Rai then concludes his e-mail by asking Kumar to limit his probe only to the issues pointed out by him, unless he finds something which is within the scope of the BCCI’s anti-corruption code.
“The CoA wishes to emphasize that the investigation be limited to the above issues only and not deal with any of the other allegations against Shami unless you find that the same fall within the purview of the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code,” he says.
Reportedly, the Kolkata Police has written a letter to the Board to inquire about his travel details after the last T20I match in South Africa. On March 16, the IPL governing Council, in a meeting here, is set to discuss whether Shami can take part in IPL-11 after the Delhi Daredevils requested for clarity on the issue.