Former cricketers Kirti Azad and Bishen Singh Bedi summoned over defamation complaint

In an incredibly embarrassing turn of events, a Delhi Court has issued notices to two former Indian cricketers on grounds of criminal defamation as a reaction to a complaint filed by the father of a U-19 player. Suspended BJP MLA, Kirti Azad, and very vocal former cricketer, Bishen Singh Bedi, have been implicated in a very serious charge along with two other people.

The U-19 cricketer's father has reportedly issued a complaint against these two men for making factually incorrect statements with “mala fide intent” regarding the selection of his son for a team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. They have been directed to appear in court on September 9 by Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh. The advocate of the complainant spoke to various newspapers after this summon was issued. According to him, the court found sufficient cause to summon the four alleged defamers based on the prima-facie evidence that was submitted.

The father of the young cricketer, Tejbir Singh, alleged that both Azad and Bedi were present in a media briefing and they announced that a sum amounting to Rs 25 lakh was paid for the cricketer's selection into the team- a claim the father denies.

“The said allegation has brought disrepute to the name of Himmat Singh who is performing well and has made it into the playing squad on his own merit," Tejbir accused in court.

The counsel's plea for justice also cites the laws under which the act of defamation, if found to be true, can be punishable under. According to Daily News and Analysis, the counsel's plea says, “All accused have been a member of Cricket Improvement Committee at one point of time and in furtherance of the conspiracy and in connivance, have committed several offences besides offence of defamation as defined and made punishable under section 499 and 500 of IPC.”

Apart from Azad and Bedi, the two others who have received the summons are Surender Khanna and Sameer Bahadur who are associates of the DDCA.

The motives for such statements is still unknown but Tejbir believes it may have been an attempt to highlight the growing worry of corruption within the DDCA. Either way, if the statements are false, there is no ground for such baseless accusations to be made against a U-19 cricketer for any reason and intent whatsoever.