IPL spot-fixing: anticipatory bail plea of accused dismissed

This is inspite of his counsel's argument not a single prosecution witness had testified against him

A Delhi court today dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Mohd Shakil who has been chargesheeted in IPL spot-fixing scandal case involving suspended cricketer S Sreesanth, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, his associate Chhota Shakeel and others.

"I don't think there is any ground for grant of anticipatory bail. I am dismissing the bail application," Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma said.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police had yesterday opposed the anticipatory bail plea of Shakil, alias Amir, saying he was in touch with the accused who were part of the "core syndicate".

The prosecutor had claimed that Amir was facilitating the fixing racket and he was in constant touch with arrested accused Chandresh Patel and Jitendra who, in turn, were in direct link with the main syndicate involving Dawood and Shakeel.

Amir's counsel had argued the role of his client has not been disclosed in the charge sheet and not a "single prosecution witness" out of the 168 witnesses has testified against him.

The police, however, had opposed Amir's plea saying his custodial interrogation was required to unearth the conspiracy and there were phone calls records which reflect his complicity in the case.

The police had on July 30 filed its charge sheet in the case against 39 accused, including Dawood Ibrahim, Shakeel, now suspended cricketers Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila for their alleged involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

Besides charging all the accused for the offence of conspiracy and cheating under IPC, provisions of stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) have been invoked against them for being the part of the syndicate.

The court had on August 16 issued a non-bailable warrant against Amir after the police had said that he was evading arrest in the case.