Decision on Kale soon - Dalmiya

Abhijit Kale, the Maharashtra cricketer accused of trying to bribe his way into the Indian team, might learn about his fate in the next couple of days. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Indian board, said in Kolkata that a final verdict on the Kale controversy was likely over the next few days. The decision has been pending the arrival of Kamal Morarka, one of the disciplinary committee members, from a personal trip abroad.

Morarka missed the final hearing, which was held on May 15, but has now returned to India. "I'll have to see if he is free," Dalmiya told Press Trust of India. "If he has the time, then all three of us (including the third member Ranbir Singh Mahendra) will discuss the matter and try to arrive at a final decision in the next couple of days."

Dalmiya was unsure if another meeting of the three members was required, and suggested that a teleconference might suffice. The final hearing on May 15 went on for over eight hours and gave both sides had a chance to present evidence.

The controversy surrounding Kale emerged earlier this year when two national selectors, Kiran More and Pranab Roy, alleged that Kale had repeatedly telephoned them and later met them in person in an attempt to pay them each Rs. 1,000,000 (approx US$ 21,750) in exchange for a place in the Indian team.