Justice Mudgal panel files probe report in SC on IPl betting

Justice Mukul Mudgal committee, which was directed by the Supreme Court to conduct a probe against ICC President N Srinivasan and 12 prominent players in the IPl betting and spot-fixing scandal, today filed its report in a sealed cover before the apex court.

A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur took the report on record after a senior advocate mentioned the matter and fixed it for hearing on September one.

The court had in May rejected the proposal of BCCI to conduct the probe through its own panel and had given the task of investigation to Justice Mudgal panel.

The Mudgal committee had earlier conducted the probe in the scandal and had submitted in a sealed envelope its report in which names of Srinivasan and 12 cricketers were mentioned.

"We are of the considered opinion that the allegations against the 13 persons including N Srinivasan mentioned in the report submitted in the sealed cover should be investigated into by the Justice Mudgal Committee and the team of investigators because if a new Probe Committee is entrusted to inquire into the allegations, there is likelihood of the allegations being leaked to the public and such leakage will damage the reputation of the 13 persons beyond repair," the bench had said.

Besides Justice Mudgal, the panel has Additional Solicitor General l Nageshwar Rao and advocate Nilay Dutta as members.

The panel was asked by the apex court to complete the probe and file the report in a sealed envelope by the end of August.

A group of investigators headed by senior IPS officer B B Mishra has assisted the Mudgal Committee which was given the power to probe, search and seize relevant documents and record evidence.

The court had on April 29 reserved its order on forming a probe panel to investigate allegations against Srinivasan and 12 cricketers after BCCI and Srinivasan had opposed further investigation by the Mudgal Committee and pleaded for setting up a fresh panel.