Pacer Mohammad Irfan and batsman Khalid Latif, who are among the five cricketers provisionally suspended over alleged corruption during Pakistan Super League(PSL) 2017, appeared on Monday before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials in Lahore. Khalid Latif and Mohammad Irfan visited the office of FIA separately. After having a short meeting with regional director FIA Dr Usman Anwar, they visited the office of FIA's cyber crime wing headed by Deputy Director Shahid Hasan.
Sources claimed that FIA's cyber crime wing recorded statements of both the cricketers and raised some queries over suspected contacts with bookies during the second edition of PSL. After this, both the cricketers left the FIA office without having any media talk.
It may be noted that the PCB's anti-corruption unit head Colonel Muhammad Azam has handed over the cell phones of the suspects cricketers to the FIA. The sources claimed that the FIA's latest forensic equipment will help trace the WhatsApp conversation of the suspects with the bookies.
Sharjeel Khan and Shahzaib Hassan will appear on Tuesday (today). The FIA had also summoned Nasir Jamshad for Monday but he could not come to Pakistan as his passport was with the British authorities, the sources added. They claimed that the FIA would give a fair chance to the suspects to clarify their position. However, if they found guilty, may be booked under the Anti-Corruption Act.
It is pertinent to add that the Pakistan Cricket Board's anti-corruption unit is also probing the matter which surfaced during the PSL's second season held in the UAE last month where Sharjeel, Khalid, Irfan and Shahzaib were said to have met with the bookies after the inaugural league match between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United in Dubai.
The three members of the anti-corruption tribunal tasked with adjudicating the spot-fixing matter submitted their consents against Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif. The tribunal comprising former Justice Asghar Haider (Chairman) Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia(retd) (Member) and former test player and team manager Wasim Bari (Member) will now issue notices for a preliminary hearing to both the PCB and the players. At the preliminary hearing, future procedure and dates of hearing will be decided.
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