IPL spot-fixing: Delhi Police to appeal against acquittal of Sreesanth, 35 accused

Delhi Police has decided to file an appeal in the High Court against a city court order discharging all the 36 accused in the sensational IPL-6 spot fixing case including test discard S Sreesanth and two other cricketers Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan.

A city court in July had discharged all accused in the 2013 case, saying the police had failed to gather "all necessary ingredients to establish a prima facie case" under stringent MCOCA.

"Delhi Police has decided to file an appeal in the IPL spot fixing case against the discharge of the accused. We have already got approval of the Law Department of Delhi Government and Commissioner of Police," Special Commissioner of Delhi Police's Special Cell SN Srivastava told media persons in New Delhi.

He said an appeal will be filed in the High Court and that there is "sufficient ground to do so".

The court, which had dropped all charges against 36 accused, held that the Special Cell of Delhi Police has been unable to establish any "nexus" or link between accused and crime syndicate allegedly run by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his close aid Chhota Shakeel who have been declared as proclaimed offenders in the case along with one Sandeep.

Three other accused -- Javed Chutani, Salman and Ehtesham -- were Pakistani nationals and never came in the hands of the police.

"The court in its order in the IPL spot fixing case accepted the efforts of the Special Cell (Delhi Police) in bringing forth the contamination which has threatened the sports, specially IPL. It also said that it(Special Cell) has exposed the nexus between various players, the bookies and others in match fixing and betting," Srivastava claimed.

He said, "The Court has further observed that because of the vacuum of the law and for other reasons, it (court) has discharged the accused."

The police official said the Law department while concurring with the opinion of Prosecution department has observed that the case was still in the charge framing stage and the investigators can prove its case.

The three cricketers, who were banned for life from the game by BCCI immediately after police action in the alleged scam two years ago, were clubbed with underworld fugitive dons Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel.

They were accused of involvement in organised crime syndicate run by the dons.

-PTI