Spot-fixing allegations: PCB, FIA agree to work together

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have agreed to work together to investigate spot-fixing allegations in Pakistan Super League (PSL). An official source told Business Recorder on condition of anonymity that senior officials of PCB were, however, 'deeply unhappy' with the announcement of FIA investigating spot-fixing scandal in PSL fearing that the agency may broaden the scope of the investigation to include senior management.
Under the arrangement reached during a meeting, PCB will provide the FIA with all documents and data related to criminal proceedings against corrupt elements while the FIA will provide forensic and other related assistance to the PCB for its tribunal and departmental proceedings.
The meeting also decided that the FIA's investigation into PSL scam would continue, but criminal proceedings involving registration of an FIR would follow the conclusion of PCB departmental inquiry. He said it was also decided that PCB and FIA will work with other law enforcement agencies to develop a mechanism for curbing corrupt practices in local tournaments.
The source however restated what was highlighted by the Interior Minister in his press conference: PCB is empowered to conduct a departmental inquiry and accordingly suspend or ban the players with no authority to register an FIR. "The scam involves financial corruption therefore the FIA can investigate it under section 5 of "The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 read with cyber crime laws", an FIA official said.
The official further pointed out that spot fixing scam involving three Pakistani players during the Lord's Test against England was investigated by Scotland Yard police and spot fixing in Indian Premier League was investigated by Indian police. "If police and investigation agencies of foreign countries can probe their players on similar allegations, then why can't FIA conduct such investigations?" he asked.
According to section 5 of The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 and cyber crime laws: Criminal misconduct: (1) A public servant is said to commit the offence of criminal misconduct: (a) if he accepts or obtains, or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain from any person for himself or for any other person, any gratification (other than legal remuneration) as a motive or reward such as is mentioned in Section 161 of the Pakistan Penal Code, or
(b) if he accepts or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain for himself or for any other person, any valuable thing without consideration or for a consideration which he knows to be inadequate, from any person whom he knows to have been, or to be, or to be likely to be concerned in any proceeding or business, transacted by him, or having any connection with the official functions of himself or of any public servant to whom he is subordinate, or from any person whom he is subordinate, or from any person whom he knows to be interested in or related to the person so concerned, or
(c) if he dishonestly or fraudulently misappropriates or otherwise converts for his own use any property entrusted to him or under his control as a public servant or allows any person to do so, or (d) if he, by corrupt or illegal means, or by otherwise abusing his position as public servant, obtains for himself or for any other person any valuable thing or pecuniary advantage, or (e) If he, or any of his dependants, is in possession, for which the public servant cannot reasonably account of pecuniary resources or of property disproportionate to his known sources of income.