Cricketgate: Sreesanth, teammates hit for MCOCA sixer

On a day when small-time actor Vindoo Dara Singh and Gurunath Meiyappan, 'principal' of Indian Premier League cricket team Chennai Super Kings, were granted bail along with several alleged bookies in the betting scandal, others in the police net were less lucky.

The Delhi Police has slapped charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, the three Rajasthan Royals players whose arrest for 'spot-fixing' opened the whole can of worms.

Pace-bowler Sreesanth, a sporadic member of the Indian national team, was today denied bail by a court, and his judicial custody extended till 18 June in the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

Sreesanth and alleged bookie Jiju Janardhan filed a bail application in Delhi's special MCOCA court.

The hearing will be held on Friday, 7June.

The provisions of the MCOCA will make it more difficult for the arrested cricketers, and some alleged bookies who will face the same charges, to get bail; and will make the punishment more stringent if they are convicted.

The move to use a law generally applied to organised crime syndicates in Maharashtra is certain to be challenged by the lawyers of the players and the alleged bookies.

It seems strange to many criminal lawyers that an act passed by the Maharashtra government is being used by the Delhi police.

This move will also mean the police will have to prove links between the accused in the spot fixing racket and organised crime syndicates.

Under the provisions of MCOCA, statements made before an officer of rank above Deputy Commissioner of Police are admissible as evidence in a court of law.