BCCI await legal advice on Jadeja issue

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) general secretary SK Nair assured reporters that although the body would abide by any decisions handed down by the Supreme Court on Ajay Jadeja, the BCCI were "hardly responsible for the whole issue."

Nair pointed out that it was the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and not the BCCI, that had initiated legal proceedings against Jadeja. "Even those who were screaming for his blood then seem to have taken an about turn now and are attacking the BCCI as if we were responsible for the whole issue."

Former CBI joint director K Madhavan, who conducted an inquiry into the match-fixing scandal, when reached for comment, said: "The matter is still sub-judice with the Delhi High Court, and I would not like to comment on it."

As early as November 2000, however, Madhavan had told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that it was not for him to suggest or initiate penalties. "I will not recommend any punishment and will allow the BCCI to decide the appropriate action against the guilty," he said at the time. "Any action after this has to be decided by the cricket board."

Nair denied that the BCCI had any "revengeful attitude towards Mr Jadeja. So far we have not even contemplated any administrative action against Mr Jadeja. Now it is only a legal issue and we will abide by the legal decisions." Even Jadeja, Nair stated, "had only said that 'someone' was preventing him from getting back to cricket, and that 'someone' need not be the BCCI."

On whether Jadeja would be permitted to return to cricket, Nair said: "We are yet to get the legal advice on the Supreme Court order, and we will go by that advice."