CBI officer Priyadarshi to head IPL scam probe team

The Supreme Court on Friday appointed CBI officer Vivek Priyadarshi to head the investigating team that is assisting former chief justice R.M. Lodha in determining the role of BCCI official Sunder Raman in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) betting and spot fixing scam.

The apex court bench of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla passed the order appointing Priyadarshi as the new head of the investigating team after it was told that the earlier head of the investigating team -- IPS officer B.B.Mishra -- has retired upon superannuation.

Priyadarshi is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer at present posted as Superintendent of Police (Anti-Corruption) with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The court said that Priyadarshi can have a team of investigators of his choice to assist him in conducting the investigations.

Priyadarshi will be discharging his new responsibility besides his duties as Superintendent of Police (Anti-Corruption) with the CBI.

The court said this, noting that they have limited role to further inquire into the role of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official Sunder Raman.

The court said the CBI director would allow Priyadarshi to make himself available to the Justice Lodha Committee.

Reiterating its May 16, 2014, order, the court said that Priyadarshi and the other officers of the investigating team will have the powers to investigate, require attendance of witnesses, the power to examine witnesses, the power to search and the power to seize and all other powers necessary for investigation, except the power to arrest.

The Supreme Court constituted the Justice Lodha Commission to make administrative reforms in the BCCI, and asked the commission to look into the activities of Raman in the entire matter.

Erstwhile BCCI president and incumbent International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman N. Srinivasan is also being probed by the panel for his role in the scam and is awaiting the verdict on his conduct as the BCCI president during the scandal.