Jadeja too challenges ban in court

Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja, banned from the game for five years following match-fixing allegations, has challenged the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision in court, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

"We filed a writ petition yesterday against the Indian government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India," Vineet Malhotra said.

Jadeja has sought a temporary suspension of the ban until the case is decided, the lawyer added.

"We have said that no opportunity was given to Jadeja to prove his innocence. Action was taken in a predetermined manner, without any rules and against the principles of natural justice," Malhotra said.

The petition, filed in the Delhi High Court, was listed in court on Wednesday but the hearing was postponed to Friday after government lawyers sought more time to study the 780-page document, Malhotra added.

Jadeja was one of four Test cricketers banned by the BCCI late last year after it conducted an internal inquiry into a Central Bureau of Investigation report on cricket match-fixing.

Jadeja and former Test all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar were banned for five years while former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma were banned from the game for life.

Malhotra said the petition argued that the five-year ban had robbed Jadeja of his livelihood.

"We have also contended that the Central Bureau of Investigation report cannot be looked into since it is not an investigation by a regular commission into any criminal charges. It is therefore inadmissable in court."

Azharuddin has also appealed against the ban. His suit, which was filed in a Hyderabad court last month, named the BCCI, its president, A C Muthiah, and the board's vigilance commissioner, K. Madhavan.

His case will be heard on April 3 but his application for a temporary suspension of the ban will be heard on February 14.

Mail Cricket Editor