Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: In a development that may go a long way in cleaning up cricket administration in India, Justice Mudgal on Tuesday expressed his consent to continue probing the IPL scam. The noted judge agreed to continue to lead the probe after the apex court asked him to decide on the matter by 2pm today.

The SC urged a tough new investigation into the matter. The top court said it wanted the country`s investigation agencies to team up with its own three-member panel appointed last year to probe the allegations into the popular Twenty20 competition.

However, the Supreme Court will take the final call on the future course of action. Before the matter was adjourned for the day, the court also asked Justice Mudgal to list the investigating agencies he needs help from.

Earlier today, the apex court had rejected the three-member probe panel proposed by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) citing conflict of interest in the choice of members.

The fresh panel included former India captain and renown commentator Ravi Shastri, former Calcutta High Court Judge JN Patel and former CBI director RK Raghavan. Shastri is on the pay-rolls of the BCCI, Patel is related to BCCI's vice-president and current interim head, Shivlal Yadav, while Raghavan is secretary of a club affiliated to Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, whose president is Narayanaswami Srinivasan.

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In the morning, the apex court also gave Justice Mudgal Committee till 2pm to decide whether they are willing to probe the case further with help of investigators. The Court had earlier directed the BCCI to suggest names of persons who will conduct a "fair probe" into the scam.

Petitioner Aditya Verma of the unrecognised Cricket Association of Bihar objected to the proposed panel and asked for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. However, the Court cited a lack of confidence in the CBI and the police to carry out the investigation and has asked the Justice Mudgal Committee if it wants to carry on the investigation.

The apex court bench headed by Justice AK Patnaik asked senior counsel Gopal Subramaniam, who appeared for Justice Mudgal panel, to revert with the panel's response if it is willing to probe against N Srinivasan and cricketers named in its report by 2pm today.

Taking a softer stand, the Court allowed the BCCI and N Srinivasan to hear some portions of audio recordings of Justice Mudgal Committee's proceedings, with a caveat directing not to reveal anything about the contents of audio recordings to anyone. Further, it asked Justice Mudgal Committee to submit the audio recordings before apex court's Secretary General.

The Cricket Board on Sunday decided to propose to the apex court a fresh three-member panel comprising RK Raghavan, Justice (retd.) JN Patel and Ravi Shastri.

Earlier, the apex court, while turning down N Srinivasan`s plea to return to the helm of the Board`s affairs as its elected chief, has ruled that he cannot be given back the BCCI`s reins till he comes out clean in a probe conducted against him and 12 others, including India-capped cricketers, whose names have been mentioned by Justice Mudgal Committee report in the IPL corruption scandal. The directive also asked the board to reply on April 22 with definite corrective measures on how to assure a fair probe in the IPL scam.

A bench of justices A K Patnaik and F M Ibrahim Kalifulla, however, had expressed reservations over a SIT or CBI probe, saying that institutional autonomy of the Board has to be maintained and a committee constituted by the BCCI to look into the issue would be preferred.

"Having come to know the nature of allegations, we cannot close our eyes," the bench said, adding that it is concerned about the game of cricket in the country and not about individuals.

Referring to a sealed envelope report of Justice Mudgal committee, the bench said, "It (report) said all these allegations were brought to his (Srinivasan) notice but he did not take any action. That means he was aware about the allegations and did not take it seriously."

Interestingly, the Supreme Court refused to bar Srinivasan from attending International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings. The BCCI’s president-in-exile has been nominated as the next ICC chairman and set to assume the role in July.

With Agency inputs