J&K CA curator asked Salgaonkar to help television journalists

According to a high-placed cricket official kept abreast of the ICC investigation, the 68-year-old Salgaonkar, ground-in-charge at the MCA International Stadium at Gahunje, was asked by Ishtiyak Khan, curator, JKCA to assist the two journalists who had expressed a wish to make a documentary film on him.

The MCA suspended Salgaonkar as its employee and his membership representing Raigad District was revoked.

Pandurang Salgaonkar, former Maharashtra fast bowler and a long-time ground in-charge at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) International Stadium in Gahunje, has told the ICC investigative team that he agreed to engage with two unacquainted television journalists before the India – New Zealand second ODI on October 25 , at the behest of Ishtiyak Khan, curator with the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).  ICC has spoken to Khan.

According to a high-placed cricket official kept abreast of the ICC investigation, the  68-year-old Salgaonkar, was asked by Khan to assist the two journalists who had expressed a wish to make a documentary film on him. The same official also said Salgaonkar and Khan would have interacted with each other at the BCCI Curators' seminar at the end of the season.

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In the course of a sting operation conducted by the two television reporters over two days,  Salgaonkar had revealed details of the pitch, the difficulty in tinkering with the wicket but how it could be done nonetheless, that a target of 337 to 340 could be chased, in lieu of money.

Salgaonkar, who had gone to the MCA stadium on the morning of October 25, had expressed a wish to see the match from one of the committee rooms, but his request was shot down. He was also asked to leave the stadium premises by the MCA president Abhay Apte while the cricket association suspended Salgaonkar as its employee and his membership representing Raigad District was revoked.

Read:  'How did Salgaonkar let it slip?'

Though the MCA Executive Committee had decided to conduct an independent enquiry of its own, it refrained from pressing forward since the ICC Anti-Corruption-Unit (ACU) manager, Bir Singh, and the ICC Coordinator, Investigations, Steve Richardson, had already commenced an investigation, after meeting the MCA officials and concerned and Salgaonkar himself.

The ICC has in place a Code of Conduct for Players, Player Support Personnel, Match Officials and Match Official Support Personnel, but there is no such provision for the Curators and Ground staff, whose services are hired by the State Associations.

Meanwhile, the BCCI and MCA expect the ICC to convey its findings any time.