Maken wants ED, IT probe into possible black money in IPL

Maken said he has asked the Finance Ministry to immediately get the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department to probe black money aspect in the IPL after a television sting operation showed players claiming that they received more money in black than the contracted amount.

"ED and I-T are already probing IPL's FEMA violation. It's tightening the noose around BCCI. But now we have asked it to investigate whether players are being paid through other means. It's very evident that there are huge violations of foreign exchange norms and black money," Maken said.

Five uncapped Indian cricket players were suspended with immediate effect yesterday pending an inquiry as the BCCI cracked the whip in the wake of the TV sting operation which claimed to expose corruption in IPL.

Maken, who has been at the loggerheads with the BCCI over its refusal to come under the RTI, said the Cricket Board could not be trusted to carry out a probe on its own into the spot-fixing allegations.

"Suspending five players is not enough. Superficial investigation will not do. BCCI should get to the root of the problem. The only solution is that BCCI should distance itself from IPL. People running BCCI have interests in IPL. So, how do you expect a fair trial?" he asked.

"IPL has increased the possibility of match-fixing. BCCI can't be an honest watchdog if it's connected to IPL," Maken said in a release issued by 'Headlines Today' channel.

Asked about BCCI President N Srinivasan being both BCCI President and owner of an IPL team, Maken said as a matter of principle he should stay away from BCCI. MORE