Jadeja challenges his indictment in Delhi High Court

Former Indian batsman Ajay Jadeja on Wednesday challenged in Delhi High Court the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to ban him for five years from playing for the country as well as a notice from Government regarding the withdrawal of the Arjuna award bestowed on him.

Jadeja, in his over 800-page petition, also sought quashing of the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) report, which had indicted him for his alleged involvement in the match fixing scandal.

The matter was listed before Justice Vijender Jain, who posted it for hearing on February 9 after the Additional Solicitor General KK Sud said that the Government needed more time to study his voluminous petition.

Former captain Mohammed Azharuddin who was banned for life by the BCCI, has already challenged the Board's decision in a Hyderabad Court.

Jadeja filed the writ through his counsel Vineet Malhotra stating that the CBI had come to a "wrong conclusion" about his alleged nexus with the bookies.

Challenging the findings of the BCCI Anti-Corruption Commissioner K Madhavan, Jadeja said it was entirely based on the CBI inquiry, which had come to a wrong conclusion about him.

CBI in its report had indicted Azharuddin, Manoj Prabhakar, Jadeja and Ajay Sharma for their alleged involvement in the match-fixing scandal.

Following this, BCCI had appointed the former Joint-Director of CBI Madhavan to probe the matter and he also agreed with the CBI findings against them.

CBI and BCCI also had indicted former physiotherapist Ali Irani in their report.

After BCCI imposed a ban on them, the Union Sports Ministry had issued notice to Jadeja, Azharuddin and Prabhakar seeking their explanation as to why the Arjuna awards given to them should not be withdrawn.