Neeraj Kumar appointed BCCI anti-corruption consultant

Neeraj Kumar, the former Delhi Police commissioner, has been appointed as a consultant for the BCCI's anti-corruption unit (ACU). Kumar was appointed by the IPL governing council, which met in New Delhi on Monday. Mumbai and Pune were also confirmed as venues for the first two IPL playoff games.

"Neeraj Kumar has been appointed for one year as a consultant to the ACU. He will be involved in improving ACU's operations and awareness programmes," Rajiv Shukla, IPL governing council chairman, told ESPNcricinfo.

While Shukla didn't elaborate on Kumar's role, it is understood that the former commissioner will set in motion an improved system to prevent players from being trapped by bookies. BCCI officials also believe that Kumar's vast experience in cracking cricket corruption-related cases during his tenure with the police will aid the BCCI.

Kumar had led the investigations during the 2013 IPL corruption scandal that saw the arrests of several players and bookies. He had also played a large role in the 2000 match-fixing investigation, the first major fixing scandal in the game. Kumar is expected to work closely with ACU chief Ravi Sawani, who was present at Monday's meeting.

During the 2013 corruption scandal investigation, Kumar had been dissatisfied with the BCCI's vigilance against corruption. "They should maintain better vigil. Most of this stuff happens quite openly: people are seen sitting with undesirable people and people do come to know about some strangers meeting somebody. So they have the list of the suspects, they should go after them," Kumar had said in an interview to ESPNcricinfo in July 2013. "It would not be fair to say corruption is a rule and honesty an exception. There are a few rotten eggs, which should be spotted and be weeded out."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court approved the request of the RM Lodha committee to replace IPS officer BB Mishra with CBI officer Vivek Priyadarshi. The committee was formed by the Supreme Court to decide on punishment for Raj Kundra and Gurunath Meiyappan - both of whom were found guilty of match-fixing by the Supreme Court - and to make recommendations and suggest amendments to the procedures followed by the board.

Shukla also confirmed that the governing council allotted two of the four IPL knockout matches to Mumbai Cricket Association and Maharashtra Cricket Association. "The decision over the venue for the first qualifier on May 19 will be taken later," he said.

It is understood that Kolkata and Dharamsala, home venues of BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur respectively, are frontrunners to stage the first qualifier. While the second qualifier will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 22, Pune will stage the eliminator on May 20. Eden Gardens in Kolkata has already been announced as the venue for the final, scheduled for May 24.