Former Board of Control for Cricket in India President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday "demanded a Home Ministry inquiry into all the 75 matches" of the scandal-hit Indian Premier League, according to the PTI. Pawar said that "not doing so will give an impression that the cricket board is not serious about dealing with corruption in the sport." Pawar: "If the BCCI gives in writing to the Home Minister and request to investigate all the matches, the government can then investigate all the matches. They can interrogate anybody. They have legal sanction. If, however, the board does not accept it and says its own anti-corruption (body) will do the job, I feel the board is not serious in dealing with the wrongdoings." A three-member BCCI inquiry committee is probing BCCI President N. Srinivasan's son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, "and the spot-fixing allegations against three Rajasthan Royals players and its franchise as well as the Chennai Super Kings" (PTI, 5/29). The PTI also reported BCCI Treasurer Ajay Shirke on Wednesday hinted that Srinivasan's continuance as BCCI president could raise a question mark over the "credibility" of the Board. Shirke: "I am a very junior member of the Board. Srinivasan is higher in stature and age. I don't think I need to advise him. The question is about the credibility of the Board" (PTI, 5/29). In a separate article, the PTI reported Sri Lanka Premier League on Wednesday denied TV actor Vindu Dara Singh's claims that "two bookies had owned one of the franchises of the SLPL." SLPL CEO Ajith Jayasekera told reporters reacting to Vindu's claims that two bookies named Sanjay and Pawan are the "benami" owners of one of the franchises in the SLPL, "No such names figure in the list of SLPL franchise owners" (PTI, 5/29). The PTI also reported embroiled in the IPL spot-fixing scandal, Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf on Wednesday said that "he was ready to face the ICC’s Anti Corruption & Security Unit to clear his name." Rauf: "Money, gifts, spot-fixing and match-fixing have never been my goal and target. They have never been a topic in my life. If there is an inquiry by the ICC's Anti Corruption & Security Unit, then I will be happy to face the inquiry and answer all their queries" (PTI, 5/29).
