Video courtesy of: India Today
The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has made it clear that Pune curator Pandurang Salgaoncar has only been suspended.
The MCA’s announcement comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Salgaoncar had been “dismissed” for “malpractice”.
Salgaoncar came into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons when undercover reporters from India Today TV released the footage of a sting operation they had conducted.
The reporters involved posed as bookies and received information from him about the pitch that was to be used for the second ODI between India and New Zealand.
The MCA also revealed that they will launch their own investigation after the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption and security unit arrived in Pune to conduct their own probe.
“He has been suspended as curator and as also the MCA member because of any actions which might bring disrepute to the association,” a MCA official told ESPNcricinfo. “There will be an inquiry and depending upon the verdict a final decision will be taken.”
Upon the footage being released by India Today TV, MCA president Abhay Apte had no choice but to suspend Salgaoncar and denied his request to watch the second ODI in an MCA box.
“There was the issue about perception. There is an issue about faith, about trust, and it was not appropriate to let him continue in the job and it would be incorrect,” the MCA official said.
The official added that Salgaoncar had breached the ICC’s ACSU code.
“Prima facie there is evidence and misconduct and hence he was suspended. If it is confirmed that there was [misconduct] then he will be removed. If it confirmed that was not the case, then he will be reinstated,” the official said.
During an emergency meeting on Thursday, Apte revealed why Salgaoncar had been suspended.
“The MCA suspended him pending enquiry,” he said. “We cannot terminate him without any proof and finding. And we cannot let him go just based on a perception that he had done something wrong.”