Tainted Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf was on Friday banned for five years by the BCCI after its disciplinary committee found him guilty of corrupt practices and bringing the game into disrepute.
The 59-year-old Rauf, who was part of the ICC's elite panel and officiated in Test matches, was accused of accepting expensive gifts from bookies besides placing bets on IPl matches in the 2013 edition.
After a decision on his fate was deferred for several weeks, the committee, headed by BCCI president Shashank Manohar and comprising Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah, finally announced the ban.
Rauf had been withdrawn by Pakistan from the ICC's elite panel after the allegations against him broke out.
"Mr Asad Rauf has been banned for a period of five years from umpiring or playing or representing cricket in any form or anyway being associated with the activities of the Board and its Affiliates," the BCCI said in a statement after the meeting.
"Mr Asad Rauf did not appear before the Committee but had sent his preliminary submissions on 15th January 2016 and written statement on 8th February 2016," it added.
The committee, after considering the report of the Commissioner of Enquiry and the written statement of Rauf has found the Pakistani guilty of "misconduct and corruption within the meaning of Article 2.2.2, 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.4.1 of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code".
The articles under which he has been found guilty deal with "soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising any other party to enter into a bet for the direct or indirect benefit of the Participant in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or event".
Rauf was also found guilty of "disclosing Inside Information to any person (with or without Reward) before or during any Match or Event where the Participant might reasonably be expected to know that disclosure of such information in such circumstances could be used in relation to Betting".
Rauf's ban ends the Board's disciplinary proceedings pertaining to the 2013 scandal and subsequent allegations of corruption.
Rauf Hits Out At Bcci
Tainted Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf on Friday hit out at the BCCI for imposing a five-year ban on him for corruption, saying that the Indian Board did not have any evidence to pronounce him guilty.
"What authority does the BCCI or IPl have to ban me when the court in Mumbai told the police they had no evidence against meIJ" Rauf asked.
The ban means that Rauf, who served for 13 years as a top umpire, is barred from umpiring or being associated with any BCCI-related activity.
"The BCCI and IPl appointed an investigation commissioner and they claimed I fled from India without completing my IPl assignment which is not true. I completed all my assignments and left India infact one day after my assignments ended," Rauf claimed.
The ICC had pulled out Rauf from the 2013 Champions Trophy also as the BCCI said the Pakistani umpire was under police investigation.
Rauf claimed that the police investigation had found nothing against him.
"The court said Rauf earns more than 3 million rupees a month so accepting small gifts like jeans, t-shirts or caps is not a big issue," Rauf claimed.
Rauf said recently he had written through his legal advisor to the Indian Cricket Board, making it clear he was ready to go to Mumbai to the BCCI headquarters and appear before any commission.
"I told them that I would come with my lawyer but they insisted I should come alone, so I didn't go. But I offered them to meet me in Karachi or Dubai and they declined. After which I sent them my detailed statement," Rauf said.