Spot-fixing : Centre mulls stringent law

• Bill on the lines of Maharashtra Act
• Pawar demands Srinivasan's resignation
• Yashwant Sinha wants IPL suspended

Anita Saluja

New Delhi: With more stench emanating from the IPL and with BCCI Chief N Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan under the scanner of Mumbai police and amid reports that CSK team may be kicked out of the IPL, the Centre is all set to bring in a stringent law that would restrain the players from indulging in corrupt practices, including betting and spot-fixing.

Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal, who is on record to admit that stringent law should be enacted, that could bring in checks and balances into cricket, will enact a law in the monsoon session of Parliament. Sports Minister Jitendra Singh is also supporting him.

Both BCCI Vice-President Arun Jaitley and IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla met Law Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday, urging him to bring a stringent law. Arun Jaitley is also the chairperson of the BCCI Disciplinary Committee.

The UPA government's Sports Bill will be on the lines of Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) that will put the onus on the accused to prove himself innocent. It will be a non-bailable offence that will send the accused to a 10-year jail term. The fine could be as high as Rs 5 lakh.

The law, sources stated, would be a comprehensive one that would not only take care of fixing and corruption in sports, but also punish those, who would disclose privileged information for personal profit and help outsiders to gain from it. With IPL scandal reaching the doorstep of BCCI Chief, demands for his ouster till proven clean, emanated from various quarters.

The spot-fixing scam that has cast a shadow on the continuance of the IPL in future, with BJP leader Yashwant Sinha demanding its suspension, the element of politics has also crept in. NCP leader Sharad Pawar demanded Srinivasan's resignation, who is already under the eye of the CBI in the Jagan Reddy disproportionate assets case.

As the MD of India Cements, Srinivasan is accused of receiving favours from the YSR regime, in return for investing Rs 140 crore in Jagan's companies, including Jagati Publications. The favours were in the form of 60 acres of land for its cement plant at 10 per cent of market price and allocation of excess water for running the companies' plant.

Sharad Pawar, who has set his sights on the post of BCCI Chief, wants Srinivasan to step down on moral grounds. Gurunath Meiyappan, Chief Executive of Chennai Super Kings team, reached Mumbai on Friday evening to be grilled by Mumbai police. IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla, however, when asked about Srinivasan's ouster, wanted Ravi Sawani Committee to submit the report. He said that the BCCI Disciplinary Committee will take a final decision on it.

The IPL scam has so far landed three cricketers � S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan � in jail, besides several bookies and now CSK Chief Gurunath Meiyappan's role has also come under the scanner, who happens to be the son-in-law of the BCCI Chief. The Bollywood connection, with the acceptance of Vindoo Dara Singh's involvement in betting, exposes the links between actors, players and bookies.