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Internet Desk: The BCCI was ordered to lift the lifetime ban on S Sreesanth by the Kerala High Court who was charged for spot fixing in the IPL.
Sreesanth had filed a petition against the BCCI after Delhi court had exonerated him in 2015. The ban was imposed on him when he was charged of spot-fixing in the 2013 IPL.
The BCCI imposed a ban on the player after information was provided by the Delhi Police. The pacer contended at the high court claiming the ban violated his constitutional rights.
Sreesanth was suspended from the team, followed by an arrest in May 2013. After that he was issued a show cause notice by the BCCI followed by a ban which restricted him from playing at international competitions and at games conducted by clubs and institutions affiliated to it.
Sreesanth was exonerated from the charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) in 2015.
Responding to Sreesanth’s petition, BCCI had informed the high court in April that a criminal court exonerating him is not enough to lift the lifetime ban. BCCI’s affidavit to the court had stated, “The standard of proof required under a penal statute is much higher than the proof required for a disciplinary inquiry. Therefore, on an appreciation of the same evidence, one may not be guilty of criminal consequences but can be found guilty for violating the internal disciplinary rules of an organization.” It was aware of the sessions court’s decision discharging Sreesanth of the charges but a working committee of BCCI that met at a later point of time decided not to lift the ban, the affidavit had stated.