IPL spot-fixing: Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf banned for five years by the BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has slapped a five-year ban on Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf over charges of corruption and misconduct. With this, Rauf won’t be able to be a part of matches that are associated with activities of the BCCI and its affiliates.

Rauf was named as a wanted accused in the Mumbai Police's chargesheet for the 2013 IPL match-fixing and betting scandal. After the scandal came to light, Rauf left India when the IPL was going on as the Mumbai Police wanted to question him in person.

Earlier today, the BCCI's disciplinary committee found Rauf guilty of corruption and misconduct under articles 2.2.2, 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.4.1 of the board's Anti-corruption Code.

Rauf was asked to appear before the BCCI’s committee, but he didn’t do so. Instead, he sent his preliminary submission last night along with a written statement responding to the allegations.

These statements and a report by the Commissioner of Enquiry were considered before the decision to ban him was taken. Rauf repeatedly denied those allegations and asked for proof.

After a decision on his fate was deferred for several weeks, the committee, headed by BCCI president Shashank Manohar and comprising Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah, finally announced the ban on him today.The official statement read "Mr. Asad Rauf has been banned for a period of five years from umpiring or playing or representing cricket in any form or anyway being associated with the activities of the Board and its Affiliates. Mr. Asad Rauf did not appear before the Committee but had sent his preliminary submissions on 15th January 2016 and written statement on 8th February 2016.” He was found guilty under “soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising any other party to enter into a bet for the direct or indirect benefit of the Participant in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or event".