MCA not to appeal Chavan ban

The Mumbai Cricket Association has rejected Ankeet Chavan's plea to appeal against the BCCI's decision to ban him for life for his alleged involvement in the 2013 IPL corruption scandal. The MCA decided not to interfere in the issue since Chavan has been found guilty of having breached the BCCI code of conduct.

"Ankeet Chavan, who has been cleared of MCOCA [Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act] charges, requested us in an email to convince BCCI to lift the ban on him. But the BCCI has already sent an email to MCA clearing the factual position on this issue," Ashish Shelar, the MCA vice-president, told reporters after the MCA managing committee meeting on Sunday.

"The MCA has therefore decided that it would not challenge BCCI's action against Ankeet which was taken by the disciplinary committee as per the anti-corruption code. So, we have rejected his request. We unanimously decided that the action against such a player should continue because the court ruling is only on MCOCA. The player has not challenged the BCCI's ruling, so how can we?"

Chavan, one of the three Rajasthan Royals cricketers chargesheeted by the Delhi Police following their arrest in May 2013, was acquitted by a Delhi trial court last week. Following that, the Kerala Cricket Association requested the BCCI to lift the ban on Sreesanth, the most high-profile of the players who were arrested in 2013.

However, the BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur had clarified that the court ruling would not have any bearing on the BCCI's decision. "Criminal proceedings are entirely different to the disciplinary proceedings. The decision has been taken by the BCCI's disciplinary committee, not by a court of law," Thakur had told ESPNcricinfo. "Action has been taken against the players on the report of our anti-corruption unit. As per the BCCI rules and regulations, the ban on these players will stay."

The third Royals player who was arrested, Ajit Chandila, is still waiting for his fate to be decided by the BCCI disciplinary committee. The committee, headed by the BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya, is likely to make a decision when it reconvenes later this month.