IPL probe questions Chandila, Trivedi

The probe committee conducting an inquiry into corruption in the IPL questioned Ajit Chandila and Siddharth Trivedi, two Rajasthan Royals players, on Thursday in Delhi. Chandila is one of three players accused of spot-fixing, while Trivedi had been in trouble for not reporting a bookie approach to the authorities.

The committee also met with officials of the Delhi police during the initial rounds of questioning, which are concerned with basic information about the IPL's functioning and the general atmosphere around the event. From December 6 to 8, the committee will interact with the Mumbai Police, officials of ICC-ACSU, Right To Information activist Naresh Makwani, who had filed a complaint against the BCCI for match-fixing and spot fixing, and several individuals whose names are not known.

So far the committee has spoken to individuals in Delhi and Mumbai and it will move to Chennai after their interviews are concluded in Mumbai.

The committee's co-ordination between the Delhi and Mumbai police led to them to acquire the chargesheets and the transcripts of recordings of their investigations. The BCCI has also made available all documentation around the IPL, including rules pertaining to accreditation given to various officials.

The probe committee's brief covers the corruption charges against Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan, who is the son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan, CSK team owners India Cements, and Rajasthan Royals team owners Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Ltd, as well as a larger mandate of allegations around betting and spot fixing on IPL matches and the larger involvement of players.

There is a possibility that at the end of the first rounds of interaction, the committee may frame a series of further questions and ask the respondents whom they have met with to return for a second round of meetings. It is expected that the committee may end its inquiry and come out with its findings some time in February. It is also possible that the committee may make recommendations to the court for better governance and more transparent functioning in the IPL.