Sreesanth after he was released from Tihar jail on Tuesday. Picture by Ramakant Kushwaha

New Delhi, June 11: Santhakumaran Sreesanth spent 14 nights in a Tihar jail cell, eating only fruits and refusing to shave till he was released. His prayers were answered today as he walked out on bail.

“It was a testing phase for me, the last 27 days. It taught me a lot of things... I played the game with all the right spirit... I believe in the Indian judiciary and I am sure my innocence will be proved. I will surely abide by the process of law,” Sreesanth said, addressing the media an hour after his release.

The cricketer, who looked tired, was speaking for the first time since his arrest in the IPL spot-fixing case on May 16.

The cricketer said it was ridiculous to arrest him on the basis of a towel tucked in his trousers during matches and that he “always wore towel while bowling”.

Delhi police, who arrested him and Rajasthan Royals teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila from Mumbai on May 16, had alleged that the towel tucked in his waistband was a signal to bookies to begin betting.

Sreesanth’s parents decided to wait at home in Kochi for their son, who will spend the night at a relative’s place in Delhi before taking a 6.30am Air India flight, a friend said.

Savitri Devi and Santhakumaran Nair had been visiting temples to pray for their son’s safe return, his lawyer Pinaki Misra said.

“He is happy and relieved. He has told me that he will be going back to his parents in Kochi. We will challenge Delhi police on the MCOCA charges soon in the high court and make a plea for it to be quashed. For now, Sreesanth will come to the capital when Delhi police will ask him to come for investigations into the case,” said Misra.

Sreesanth’s brother Dipusanth, who along with his other friends had been camping in the capital since his arrest, had planned to go to Vaishno Devi before returning to Kochi. However, the plan was cancelled after their father fell ill.

Outside Tihar, where he had shared a cell with two others, Sreesanth looked happy. He waved at the crowd before hopping into a waiting SUV and met the media for 10 minutes at his lawyer’s residence in south Delhi.

“All my life, including a tennis ball match, I have played with my heart on my sleeve... I thank Rajasthan for the support. I understand I am the accused here,” Sreesanth said.

No honeymoon

Ankeet, who had got interim bail for four days to get married, is not planning his honeymoon now that he has been freed on bail.

The cricketer, who was in the first-time offenders cell in Tihar, will be busy completing post-wedding rituals, his brother revealed.

“He has no plans of honeymoon, in fact, he hasn’t even spoken about it. He just wants to return to his wife, whom he left within three days of the marriage. In fact, his post-marriage functions are yet to be completed. He is happy to be out and we are all here to take him home,” brother Nihar said.

Ankeet married long-time girlfriend, Neha Sambary on June 2 in Mumbai.

His parents, brother and maternal uncle and aunt and Neha’s sister and brother-in-law were in Delhi. However, Neha, decided to stay at home.