Prabhakar snubs show cause proceedings

The show-cause proceedings relating to the withdrawal of the Arjuna Awards given to tainted cricketers in the match fixing scandal turned out to be no-show in New Delhi on Monday with Manoj Prabhakar not appearing before a special committee for the first round of hearings.

Prabhakar told PTI he had no "intimation to appear before them (committee). Whatever I had to say (to the Government), I have already said in writing," the former all rounder said.

"Aise koi chala jata hai kya (Does one go just like that)?", he remarked when asked about his decision not to appear before the panel constituted by Sports Minister Uma Bharti to give a chance to indicted cricketers - Prabhakar, Ajay Jadeja and Mohammed Azharuddin to explain why their Arjuna Awards be not withdrawn following bans imposed on them.

While Azharauddin was banned for life, Jadeja and Prabhakar were slapped with five-year bans by the disciplinary committee of the BCCI last month.

Azharuddin, Prabhakar and Jadeja were given the Arjuna Awards in 1986, 1993 and 1997 respectively.

A senior ministry official scheduled to hear the proceedings said Prabhakar was supposed to turn up but had not confirmed or denied the same.

Asked about the next round of hearings with Azharuddin and Jadeja, he said it was too premature to predict anything. "They may come, or they may not. I have not received any intimation from any of the three so far," he said.