The Hindu : Front Page : Harbhajan suspended pending probe

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 27, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Harbhajan suspended pending probe

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Harbhajan Singh was on Saturday provisionally suspended from the Indian Premier League , pending inquiry into the incidents at Mohali on Friday night when he allegedly slapped S. Sreesanth in an off-field incident at the end of an IPL match.

The inquiry would be conducted by Match Referee Farokh Engineer in Delhi on Monday. Both the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the IPL are expected to deal with the players strictly for bringing the game into disrepute at the end of the match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians which the former won.

“Based on prima facie video evidence as seen and reviewed by the match adjudicator and referee Mr. Farokh Engineer from the tapes provided by Sony and TWI, a decision has been reached to suspend with immediate effect Mr. Harbhajan Singh of the Mumbai Indians pending the inquiry into the incident … ,” a statement from IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi said.

The Mohali incident, which left Sreesanth in tears, came in for severe condemnation from all quarters though there were attempts by the two players to play it down. and the IPL officials initially dithered over procedures.

The BCCI, however, took a firm stand.

The Board’s Chief Administrative Officer, Ratnakar Shetty, speaking to The Hindu from Mumbai, said: “We will not tolerate such nonsense. It is high time these players are told to behave and not take us for granted.” After an initial delay, the Punjab team lodged an official complaint saying Harbhajan had made an “unprovoked attack” on Sreesanth.

Sreesanth claimed on Saturday that it was a “friendly” altercation between two “brothers.”

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section