BCCI silences report on Raina accompanying bookie-linked woman
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption and Security Unit is probing why the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) kept quiet about a report of its player Suresh Raina being seen in the company of a woman linked to an associate of an illegal bookmaker.
Making it clear that Raina was not suspected of any wrongdoing, a senior ICC source, was quoted as saying the incident was related to India's tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year.
CCTV cameras installed at the Indian team's hotel showed that on more than one occasion Raina was in the company of a woman known to be an associate of a man allegedly linked to a bookmaker.
A report, including the CCTV footage, was submitted by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board to their Indian counterparts.
With the heightened security concerns following the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan, the Sri Lankans deputed a former general to look after the Indian team.
According to the newspaper report, it is the reaction of the BCCI secretary N Srinivasan that has led to the ICC investigation. Instead of acting on the report, Srinivasan is alleged to have asked the Sri Lankans to withdraw it.
23-year-old Raina plays for Chennai Super Kings, an IPL franchise owned by Indian Cements of which Srinivasan is a vice-chairman and managing director.