BCCI has no proof against Kale

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript" src="Config?Configid=43376741"></script><br />KOLKATA: If the BCCI ban on <a href="http://thetimesofindia.online/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=296966">Abhijit Kale</a>, who has allegedly offered money for a berth in the Indian team, leads to a legal battle, the cricketer may just start on a good wicket.</div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="45.3%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><script language="javascript" src="Config?Configid=43376741"></script><br /><img src="/photo/297013.cms" alt="/photo/297013.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal">Abhijit Kale</div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">The reason: <a href="http://thetimesofindia.online/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=296961">The Indian Board</a> has very little to show to back the allegations and ''proof'' is one big thing in any court of law. The BCCI, of course, is planning to pin him down on the bribery issue through ''circumstantial evidence''.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">The BCCI probe, to be conducted by the ''one-man committee'' of Bar Council of India chairman <a href="http://thetimesofindia.online/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=295801">D V Subba Rao</a>, assumes added importance. "</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Examinations and cross-examinations of the accused and other people throw up a lot," a source told Times News Network over phone on Saturday. "We''ll have to wait and see."</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">On Saturday, Kale appeared before a separate inquiry committee appointed by <a href="http://thetimesofindia.online/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=296335">Maharashtra Cricket Association</a> (MCA) at Pune. "I''ve got nothing to do with the allegations and will be seeking legal opinion," he told reporters later.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Fingers are also being pointed at the two selectors Pronab Roy and Kiran More, who waited for a few days before bringing the allegations to the Board''s notice. MCA chairman Balasaheb Thorve said he will be writing to BCCI president <a href="http://thetimesofindia.online/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=295767">Jagmohan Dalmiya</a> seeking an inquiry against the two.</span><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />"Merely conducting an inquiry against Kale would not suffice as it is also necessary to find out whether there was any substance in the allegations made by the selectors that Kale had offered them bribe," Thorve said.<br /><br />"I am writing a letter to the BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya that just like the inquiry against <a href="http://thetimesofindia.online/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=295764">Kale</a>, there should also be an inquiry against those who have made the allegation or else it will be a one-sided affair." <br /><br />Meanwhile, opinion in the fraternity continued to vary over the issue with some former players taking the Board to task over the way the scandal has been handled. <br /><br />Skipper Sourav Ganguly, however, backtracked from his wholehearted support for the beleaguered Maharashtra cricketer and said there could be some basis to the allegations.<br /><br />"When I got to know the story Friday I found it a little bit hard to believe that somebody would pay so much money just to be a part of the Indian side," Ganguly told reporters in Adelaide on the Indian team''s arrival on Saturday.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><br />"Abhijit''s a consistent performer in first-class cricket in India, he''s scored loads of runs, so I was a little surprised when I heard the story.<br /><br />"But now I have heard ... that he has been banned by the BCCI, so there must be some truth to this story.<br /><br />"If it is true it''s pretty shameful," Ganguly said.<br /><br />Just like Ganguly, a few of the former cricketers also reacted differently a day after the incident. <br /><br />Some said that such rumours were there during their times also while some were completely aghast by the Kale incident.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section4"><div class="Normal"><br />According to former India stumper Syed Saba Karim, he has heard rumours of getting into the national side because of the regional pressures or by <a href="http://thetimesofindia.online/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=295772">influencing selectors</a> by some other means, but this is the first time that he has heard of such a thing. "Since I know Abhijit Kale for a long time and we have played a lot of cricket together, it is unbelievable. He is extremely hard working, and he could have walked into the national side on sheer merit, Karim said.<br /><br />He also said that BCCI has rightly called for an inquiry. But at the same time they should have waited till the probe is over before banning the cricketer.<br /><br />To another former Bengal opener Naresh Ojha, it came as a surprise. He has never heard of such an incident in his long career. "If he has done so, it is very foolish on his part as he should have proved himself with the willow," Ojha stated. <br /><br />It is also a fact that the two selectors have taken his name, which makes Naresh feel that there is some truth in it. "BCCI should take stern action if Kale is found guilty. Kale should be barred from playing again. The punishment should be a lesson to all the junior cricketers of the country," he added. <br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section5"><div class="Normal"><br />Sambaran Banerjee said "I am really shocked by the Abhijit Kale incident and it has never happened in my cricketing career and also during my tenure as a selector."<br /><br />According to Banerjee, an individual will always walk into the side if he performs well. "There''s no point in influencing others for a berth in the Test or ODI team," was Banerjee''s reaction.</div> </div>