BCCI wanted cops to depose before it

Police officials said investigating officers can only depose before a court, and not before ‘ a private body that does not have any legal standing’

“Questioning of the Jaipur brothers ( bookies) is also important in connection with the fixing angle as both bookies had allegedly given expensive gifts to Rauf,” said another crime branch official.

The BCCI had written to the Mumbai police on June 28 asking for the investigating officer to depose before the board. “We received the letter on July 4th and we replied to them on July 5th stating that tell us under which legal provision our officers should depose before the probe panel, which is a private body and does not have any legal standing,” Mr Roy said, adding that as per the CrPC an investigation officer can only be produced before a court.

The Mumbai police, in response to the BCCI’s request, had on July 5 written a letter to board general manager R. S. Shetty which read, “Through your letter on June 28 you had requested to depute an officer conversant with the investigation of the case to be present before the probe commission constituted by the BCCI. As the case is still under investigation, you are requested to quote relevant legal provisions under which the investigation or any other officer from the investiga- tion agency can be called before the probe commission.”

If the BCCI had sought probe details, and not deposition of officers, we would have considered the request and shared some evidence that would not affect our probe,” said Mr Roy.

During the course of their investigation, the police had come across references to spot- fixing between a few players and some bookies.

Those arrested by the Mumbai police in the IPL- 6 betting scandal probe include bookie and Bollywood actor Vindoo Dara Singh, Mr Meiyappan and several bookies. Both Vindoo and Meiyappan are out on bail.

The Mumbai police has so far arrested 19 accused in the case. “Since all accused are out on bail we are not forced to file a chargesheet in 90 days. But we will soon file the chargesheet,” another senior police official said.