TAINTED Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf was on Friday (February 12) banned for five years by the Board of Control for Cricket in India after its disciplinary committee found him guilty of corrupt practices and bringing the game into disrepute.
The 59-year-old Rauf, who was part of the ICC's elite panel and officiated in Test matches, was accused of accepting expensive gifts from bookies besides placing bets on IPL matches in the 2013 edition.
After a decision on his fate was deferred for several weeks, the committee, headed by BCCI president Shashank Manohar and comprising Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah, finally announced the ban on him on Friday.
Rauf had been withdrawn by Pakistan from the ICC's elite panel after the allegations against him broke out.
"Mr Asad Rauf has been banned for a period of five years from umpiring or playing or representing cricket in any form or anyway being associated with the activities of the Board and its Affiliates," the BCCI said in a statement after the meeting.
"Mr Asad Rauf did not appear before the Committee but had sent his preliminary submissions on 15th January 2016 and written statement on 8th February 2016," it added.
The committee, after considering the report of the Commissioner of Enquiry and the written statement of Rauf has found the Pakistani guilty of "misconduct and corruption within the meaning of Article 2.2.2, 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.4.1 of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code".
The articles under which he has been found guilty deal with "soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising any other party to enter into a bet for the direct or indirect benefit of the Participant in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or event".
Rauf was also found guilty of "disclosing Inside Information to any person (with or without Reward) before or during any Match or Event where the Participant might reasonably be expected to know that disclosure of such information in such circumstances could be used in relation to Betting".
Rauf's ban ends the Board's disciplinary proceedings pertaining to the 2013 scandal and subsequent allegations of corruption.
A Lahore-born first class cricketer, Rauf has officiated in 49 tests and 98 one-day internationals. The BCCI ban does not extend beyond India.
