Calcutta/New Delhi: Already struggling to deal with the flare-up in his household, Mohammed Shami has landed in fresh trouble, courtesy his alleged links with one Mohammed bhai.
The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai has instructed the Board of Control for Cricket in India's anti-corruption unit chief Neeraj Kumar to probe alleged corruption allegations against Shami, which surfaced during a reported telephonic conversation between the fast bowler and his wife Hasin Jahan.
Jahan has also filed a police complaint against the pacer alleging infidelity and domestic violence, resulting in the BCCI withholding Shami's central contract. The CoA chief asked Kumar to submit a report within a week.
Shami's wife, Hasin, had dragged the BCCI into the controversy questioning how "touts" and "prostitutes" have access to the players' hotels and their rooms on "tours" and also wanted the Board to "answer" how that could happen "very often". She also called for an investigation into the speedster's link with a Pakistani lady and controversial monetary transactions.
The Telegraph, on March 9, had reported that while the BCCI would continue with its policy of not getting involved in matters concerning players and their families, some allegations by Hasin 'must be probed'.
That BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary was keen on a thorough probe into the allegations was also reported. "The BCCI stays away from personal matters, but the allegations about touts and prostitutes must be probed. Also, if the BCCI indeed did organise the ticket referred to in that TV interview," Choudhary had said.
In his letter to Kumar, Rai wrote: "This has reference to the various media reports pertaining to allegations against Md. Shami. The Committee of Administrators has listened to the audio recording of a telephonic conversation which it is claimed is between Md. Shami and his wife. The said audio recording is available in public domain."
Jahan has alleged that Shami "took money from a Pakistani woman named Alishba on the insistence of an England-based businessman Mohammed bhai".
"The Committee of Administrators is concerned only with such portion of the said audio recording in which the person who it is claimed is Md. Shami is heard saying another person by the name of 'Mohammed bhai' had sent money to Md. Shami through a Pakistani lady by the name of 'Alisba'."
"Please investigate the above assertions/ allegations under the BCCI anti-corruption code and submit a report to the Committee of Administrators with your findings as to whether there is any basis to proceed further in terms thereof."