Spot-fixing row: 'Srinivasan should stay away while probe is on', says Shukla

Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Rajeev Shukla on Wednesday said BCCI President N. Srinivasan has been advised to stay away while the probe in the Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal is on.

Shukla, who met BCCI board and disciplinary committee member Arun Jaitley at his residence here, said they were more concerned about the image of the cricket board.

"He is an elected President. We all, including Jaitley ji, are of the opinion and we have told him also that he should keep a distance from the procedure during the probe. Ultimately, it is for him to take a decision on it," Shukla told mediapersons here.

"We are concerned about the image of the board. He says that he is not at fault then for what is he being punished. It is his (personal) opinion," he added.

Shukla further said a fair and an independent probe must be conducted in to the entire spot-fixing scandal.

. We want a fair probe into it and whoever is found guilty should be given harsh punishment, nobody should be spared," he said.

The BCCI has announced that a three-member inquiry commission will investigate spot-fixing and betting allegations against arrested players and also Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, who has been arrested by the police over charges of betting in IPL matches.

The panel consists of two retired judges - Justice T. Jayaram Chouta and Justice R. Balasubramanian and BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale.

Top politicians associated with the BCCI have so far appeared to be divided over Srinivasan's fate.

BCCI disciplinary committee member Jyotiraditya Scindia yesterday became the first BCCI office-bearer to openly call for Srinivasan's resignation, saying that propriety demanded that he should step down.

Union Minister and another senior board functionary Farooq Abdullah on the other hand backed the under-fire president, saying there was no reason for him to quit.

The clamour for the ouster of Srinivasan as the BCCI President has been growing for the last few days. He has, however, so far claimed innocence and contended that he had the full support of the board members.