FIA relaunches probe into PSL spot-fixing scam [Update Post #17]

[Varun]

PCB, FIA lock horns in PSL spot-fixing probe

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has locked horns with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over the Pakistan Super League spot-fixing probe with the cricket board insisting it to be solely their domain to investigate the players’ ‘wrongdoings’.

The PCB believes that since no law exists in the country to deal with the spot-fixing offense in cricket, the FIA may face problems in dealing with this case and should therefore restrict itself to only the “criminal aspects” of the case.

It may be mentioned here that the PCB has not yet provided the cellphones of the suspected cricketers — Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan and Shahzaib Hassan — for forensic examination to the cyber crime wing of the FIA which is proof enough that both institutions are not on the same page for the PSL probe.

“Without forensic examination of the cellphones of the spot-fixing suspects, the probe cannot move an inch further. The four cricketers have recorded their statements with the FIA which are very similar to what they had submitted to the PCB’s anti-corruption unit, thus nothing new can be extracted from them,” a source in the FIA told Dawn on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Sharjeel and Shahzaib appeared before the FIA cyber crime team and recorded their statements. Like Irfan and Khalid, they also denied any involvement in spot-fixing. The FIA had also summoned left-handed opener Nasir Jamshed but was informed that the National Crime Agency UK had confiscated his passport and investigations against him were underway there.

The source said more cricketers might be in the dock once the FIA investigations are finalised. “It has already been transpired that it is not the matter of spot fixing in the PSL 2017 matches alone, but also some other matches and more players could be involved. Forensic examination of the cellphones of these players will provide sufficient lead to reach all those involved in this heinous crime,” he said.

To a question whether the FIA would face problems in retriving the WhatsApp data as the players had already deleted their conversation with the bookies and the Whats App management might not cooperate in this matter, he said: “Forensic examination will be enough to retrieve the data.”

Talking to Dawn, PSL chairman Najam Sethi said he was not against FIA probing into spot-fixing scandal and he never asked the agency to stop its investigation. “I want FIA, which has taken suo motu of the case, to continue with its probe in this matter and should better go after bookies like British Crime Agency does,” he said, adding the PCB had its own rules which are more strict than that of International Cricket Council (ICC).

“Since there has been no law to deal with the spot-fixing here in Pakistan, this matter comes under the domain of PCB’s discipline and conduct and the Board can award exemplary punishment to the guilty players,” explained Sethi.

“The FIA deals with the criminal side of this case and if any such findings come up during the PCB tribunal probe, the FIA will be asked to take action. However, the FIA should better go after bookies and let the PCB deal with the players’ wrongdoings,” he said.

Replying to a question about PCB’s ‘reluctance’ in handing over the players’ cellphones to FIA, Sethi said: “FIA has not asked yet for handing over the players cellphones. We will hand them over to FIA when it does.”

Sethi further said both PCB and FIA would continue their investigation simultaneously. “There has been no tension between PCB and FIA over this matter,” he clarified.

Observing rising tension between the two institutions, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has asked the top officials of PCB and FIA to work together for swift dispensation of justice in the spot-fixing case.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf also jumped into this controversy to criticise PCB Executive Comm*ittee chairman Najam Sethi’s statement asking FIA to ‘stop the PSL spot-fixing probe’.

Submitting a resolution in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday, PTI MPA Shoaib Saddiqui questioned as why Mr Sethi was against the FIA’s probe into this matter. “The FIA should launch an open investigation against the suspected players and those involved in this heinous crime should be given exemplary punishment,” the resolution demanded.

Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1321980/pcb-fia-lock-horns-in-psl-spot-fixing-probe

 

[MenInG]

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/201...stigating-spot-fixing-case-says-pcb-chairman/

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Super League said the other day that the Pakistan Cricket Board has never stopped the Federal Investigation Agency from investigating the spot-fixing case and that there is no animosity between the two institutions.

However he did question as to FIA could pursue criminal investigation when the five suspended players have not yet been found guilty of committing the crime by the tribunal, while talking on a TV show.

The PSL chairman requested that the FIA focus on the cricket bookies and put them behind the bars.

Earlier, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said that the FIA does not need any permission from anyone to initiate investigations against the suspended cricketers; he also directed the agency to work alongside the PCB in PSL spot-fixing case.

According to details, Interior Ministry claimed earlier that the PCB has shown reluctance in cooperating with the FIA in probing the five cricketers allegedly involved in spot-fixing in PSL 2017.

Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan and Shahzaib Hasan have been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket for violating the PCB’s anti-corruption code. Sharjeel and Latif, who were suspended during the opening week of the PSL for suspected links with an international fixing syndicate, face a minimum five years’ ban.

Batsman Shahzaib, who was charged and suspended last week, also faces a minimum five years’ ban. Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan faces a minimum six months’ ban.

Nasir Jamshed, who resides in the UK, was suspended during PSL after the PCB said it had ‘concrete evidence’ against the former opener. He was arrested along with another suspect by Britain’s National Crime Agency last month as part of investigations but later released on bail, according to reports.

 

[Rafay Shafiq]

Pcb want to save blue eyed players and official

 

[Hamza_]

Pcb want to save blue eyed players and official

What logic is this?

 

[fasihulhaq94]

What logic is this?

someone questioned a national institute? must be trying to save their own hides. pak logic

 

[Syed1]

Good on FIA for taking this in their own hands, can't expect a corrupt person like Sethi to deliver justice.

 

[princeuk]

Where is this all gonna end up?

 

[Saj]

Seems like the PCB don't want anyone else looking into this and want to handle it themselves.

I would much rather the FIA looked into this, to avoid a cover-up.

 

[Major]

Good on FIA for taking this in their own hands, can't expect a corrupt person like Sethi to deliver justice.

???and what will FIA do? FIA can't even give a punishment as there is no law in Pakistan that says spot fixing is illegal, corruption is but that is until money is exchanged.

I think the problem here is probably the punishment. FIA might be telling PCB how to punish these players, but that is a matter of PCB not FIA.

PCB will give its own punishment, and before PCB gives its punishment it will consult its lawyers and all so that the punishment makes sense and doesn't get over turned on appeals.

FIA's job is to give a punishment through the country's own laws.

This way these will be two seperate punishments, one punishment for violating country laws and the second being ICC rules and regulations. You cannot be punished twice under ICC rules and regulations.

What ever gets done should be done right.

I knew these complications were going to arise, FIA and PCB are both Govt offices and these differences were expected, nothing new, and nothing to criticize about.

In investigations there are always differences when two parties are involved in investigating or giving out a ruling.

 

[Major]

Seems like the PCB don't want anyone else looking into this and want to handle it themselves.

I would much rather the FIA looked into this, to avoid a cover-up.

FIA can't do anything here. Their job is to deal with the criminal side.


If FIA deals with the case here, then country laws will apply, and that way Khalid Latif and Irfan get away as they didn't receive any money. The players could also get away from FIA charges (probably) if they had done corruption in UAE and not in Pakistan.

FIA will have to deal with this the way the UK police dealt with Nasir Jamshed.(jailed for doing corruption)

The banning of players from their jobs will be done by PCB and FIA cannot do that. Just like how the UK police can't ban Jamshed from cricket.

and the whole punishment needs to fall under proper rules, because if they do not, and the players go for the highest appeal, then they could get away with it.

 

[Saj]

FIA can't do anything here. Their job is to deal with the criminal side.

They can do plenty.......like identify individuals who the PCB may not want to be identified as part of this probe.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Fixing is cheating.Thats a criminal offence.Any designated federal agency of any country has the right to investigate that and punish.PCB is not a investigating agency.

 

[cricketInsight]

It is pretty clear that none of these players other than Sharjeel have "fixed". Sharjeel's situation is unclear.

FIA cannot punish players for not reporting an approach, and the general understanding is that there are no laws on the book to punish fixing under state law.

So all FIA can do is do an independent probe. Actually, PCB should let them do the probe and pass out PCBs punishment based on the findings of FIA.

 

[godzilla]

They can do plenty.......like identify individuals who the PCB may not want to be identified as part of this probe.

I agree. you have to wonder whether the whole intelligence issue was in fact the work of the pcb in the first place or whether they are taking credit for the icc's work. there have been mixed and vague reports of the icc's involvement, and together with the u-turns, backflips, and general inconsistencies in the billions of statements given by Seth and sheryar, I wouldn't be surprised if the pcb utterly failed, and are concerned that the FIA will highlight this.

if there were any justice I would guess its not just the players who should be banned for life.

 

[Saj]

Ideally a totally independent group of individuals should investigate this PSL fixing scandal.

It's intriguing that the PCB has brought in its own people to investigate and it doesn't fill me with much confidence.

 

[MenInG]

Ideally a totally independent group of individuals should investigate this PSL fixing scandal.

It's intriguing that the PCB has brought in its own people to investigate and it doesn't fill me with much confidence.

PCB seems to be self-sufficient when it needs it and not so when it suits them!

 

[Abdullah719]

FIA relaunches probe into PSL spot-fixing scam

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday re-laun*ched criminal investigation into the Pakistan Super League spot-fixing scam.

The FIA has resumed the probe after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) imposed a ban on three players - Khalid Latif (five years), Sharjeel Khan (five years) and Mohammad Irfan (one year).

“We have launched criminal investigation against the players involved in the PSL spot-fixing scam,” FIA Lahore cyber crime head Shahid Hassan told Dawn here on Wednesday. “We have sought record from the PCB about the spot-fixing case and will soon summon the suspected players in this regard.”

When the FIA first started the probe into this matter in March this year, the PCB had insisted that it was solely its domain to investigate the players’ ‘wrongdoings’. The PCB officials including PSL chief Najam Sethi opposed the FIA intervention and later the then Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had directed the FIA to reach an agreement with the board.

It was subsequently decided (between FIA and PCB) that the FIA would initiate criminal proceedings once the PCB’s anti-corruption tribunal announced its verdict in this case. “The FIA will proceed against the tainted players under its Prevention of Corruption Act. Since the players in question had been banned (from playing cricket), criminal investigation would send them in jail if convicted,” Shahid said.

“We will carry out forensic examination of the cellphones of the spot-fixing suspects besides looking into the PCB investigation report,” said Shahid, adding Nasir Jamshed was not returning from London to avoid criminal investigation against him. “The FIA will also go after the bookies in this case,” he said.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1359012/fia-relaunches-probe-into-psl-spot-fixing-scam