Pakistan Cricket Board has shown an utter dislike after Federal Investigation Agency swung into action to investigate the matter of spot-fixing scandal separately which marred the second edition of the Pakistan Super League Twenty20 carnival in the United Arab Emirates.
As the scandal has widened up which has further seen the suspension of five players, FIA recorded the statements of four cricketers, according to its official.
“Without forensic examination of the cellphones of the spot-fixing suspects, the probe cannot move an inch further,” FIA source was quoted as saying by Dawn.com.
However, Executive Committee Head of PCB Najam Sethi cleared the air by stating he was not against the prime investigation institution to initiate a probe into the spot-fixing scandal.
“There has been no tension between PCB and FIA over this matter,” Sethi said.
Sethi further expressed they should allow PCB tribunal to continue the probe as FIA should go after bookies.
“I want FIA, which has taken suo motu of the case, to continue with its probe in this matter and should better go after bookies like British Crime Agency does,” Sethi said.
It’s pertinent to mention federal interior minister of Pakistan Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan has asked FIA to initiate the inquiry to end the menace of spot-fixing.
“The FIA does not need our permission to start the inquiry into anything, they do it based on media reports as the law allows this. All I am suggesting is they should hold the inquiry after we have finished our process,” Sethi was quoted as saying by PTI.
Sethi suggested PCB has its strict rules to follow and they’re taking utmost care to examine the case after setting up the tribunal committee to look after the case.
However, Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan has criticised Sethi for asking FIA to ‘stop probe in fixing scandal.’
“Since there has been no law to deal with the spot-fixing here in Pakistan, this matter comes under the domain of PCB’s discipline and conduct and the Board can award exemplary punishment to the guilty players,” revealed Sethi.
The reports suggested suspected players’ phones were not handed over to FIA’s cyber wing which further shows there is some sort of a tiff going on between the two major institutions of the country.
Sethi has admitted the PCB approached the FIA to help the cricket board in verifying the data which was available with them after seizing mobile phones from the cricketers.
“We went (with) a letter to the FIA that we have these players’ mobile phones as evidence which we want to prove our point in front of the tribunal. We asked them to authenticate the data,” Sethi concluded.
On March 24, the three-member PCB’s tribunal committee will give its preliminary reports on the case.
The five provisionally suspended players also included Nasir Jamshed, who was held in London for further investigation after Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Khalid Latif and Shahzaib Hasan were grilled by the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Unit.