New Delhi: Finally some relief for India cricketer Mohammed Shami as the Board of Control for India (BCCI) has decided to offer him Grade ‘B’ annual retainership contract, according to a release issued by the Indian cricket board on Thursday.
“The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) had requested Mr Neeraj Kumar, former Police Commissioner of Delhi and Head of BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit, to investigate the allegations against Mohd. Shami insofar as they pertain to the provisions of the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code,” the BCCI release said.
“Mr Neeraj Kumar has submitted his confidential report to the CoA. Based on the conclusions in the said report, the CoA is of the view that no further actions/ proceedings under the BCCI anti-corruption code are warranted in the matter,” it added.
Shami has been kept in Grade B, which means that he will be earning Rs 3 Cr per annum according to the new BCCI pay structure. The BCCI had introduced a new grade system altogether – Grade A+ : Rs 7 Cr, Grade A: Rs 5 Cr, Grade B: Rs 3 Cr, Grade C: Rs 1 Cr. Also, there was no Grade A+ in the list earlier, while Grade A players used to get Rs 2 Cr and Grade B and C cricketers received Rs 1 Cr and Rs 50 Lakh respectively.
Earlier, speaking to Cricketnext, a senior official of the board informed that the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) had written an e-mail letter to ACSU head Neeraj Kumar to investigate the matter and respond with findings in a week’s time.
The letter, which is in possession of Cricketnext, states – “The Committee of Administrators is concerned only with such portion of the said audio recording in which the person who it is claimed is Md. Shami is heard saying another person by the name of “Mohammad Bhai” had sent money to Md. Shami through a Pakistani lady by the name of “Alisba”.
“Please investigate the above assertions/ allegations under the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code and submit a report to the Committee of Administrators with your findings as to whether there is any basis to proceed further in terms thereof. The investigation should cover (i) the identity and antecedents of “Mohammad Bhai” and “Alisba”; (ii) whether any money was in fact sent by the said Mohammad Bhai through the said Alisba to Md. Shami; and (iii) if yes, the purpose for which the said money was received by Md. Shami.”
On March 8, Hasin had also alleged that Shami could be involved in match-fixing after making allegations that he had accepted money from a Pakistani woman.
“He accepted money from a Pakistani girl named Alisbah in Dubai. He agreed to accept it on the insistence of England-based Mohammed Bhai. I have proof. This could be linked to match fixing,” she had said.
Meanwhile, the cricketer rubbished all the allegations made by Hasin and said, “I always stood beside her and I don’t know why she is behaving like this now. I still believe that the issue could be resolved through talks.”
On match-fixing charges he had said, “I will prefer to die than involved in such anti-national act.”