After his contract with the BCCI was withheld, India pacer Mohammad Shami is set to learn about his immediate future in a week’s time.
The fast-bowler has been in the news of late for all the wrong reasons after allegations of domestic violence, extra marital affairs and even corruption by his wife Hasin Jahan surfaced last week.
The corruption angle is being viewed very seriously by the BCCI and the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) designated to handle the workings of the governing body.
Shami’s wife has alleged that the 28-year-old had received some money from a Pakistan woman named Alisba at the insistence of an England-based businessman named Mohammad.
A leaked audio of a supposed phone call between Shami and his wife where the allegations were made have been doing the rounds on social media and CoA chief Vinod Rai has asked the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) to look into the matter.
In a report by the Indian Express, the CoA’s chief’s email to the ACU has been revealed.
“The said audio recording is available in public domain. The CoA is concerned only with such portion of the said audio recording in which the person who it is claimed is Mohammad Shami is heard saying another person by the name of Mohammad Bhai had sent money to Md. Shami through a Pakistani lady by the name of ‘Alisba’,” the email from Rai states.
Rai has asked the ACU to submit a report within a week.
“Please investigate the above assertions/ allegations under the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code and submit a report to the Committee of Administrators with your findings as to whether there is any basis to proceed further in terms thereof. The investigation should cover (i) the identity and antecedents of “Mohammad Bhai” and “Alisba”; (ii) whether any money was in fact sent by the said Mohammad Bhai he through the said Alisba to Md. Shami; and (iii) if yes, the purpose for which the said money was received by Md. Shami,” the email further adds.
The CoA is not looking to probe other personal allegations against the pacer but has asked the ACU to take them into account if they do indeed violate the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code.
“The handbook for players specifically says that if they receive money from some extraneous sources, they are required to inform the BCCI. So we are asking him, what’s the money for? The ACU will look into this. Rest we will follow the police inquiry,” Rai had told The Indian Express.
Shami is reported to have been interrogated for three hours by the ACU on Thursday evening regarding the corruption allegations.
