Former Gujarat DGP Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala has been appointed as the new chief of BCCI’s anti-corruption unit according to a report in The Indian Express. Khandwawala has replaced Ajit Singh Shekhawat who ended his tenure on March 31.
Khandwawala will now travel to Chennai for the opening encounter of the Indian Premier League slated to take place between RCB and defending champions Mumbai Indians.
Shekhawat though was offered a two-month extension but he turned it down.
“His (Khandwawala’s) appointment was done last month itself. The board wanted Ajit Singh to continue during the IPL but he didn’t accept the offer,” a board official said.
Khandwala said that it was an honour to be a part of the BCCI. "It is a matter of a great honour that I am part of the BCCI which is the best run cricketing body in the world. Besides my expertise on security matters, what should help me in this role is my love for the game," Khandwawala, who is 70, told PTI.
"I also want to congratulate my predecessor for doing a fine job and keeping Indian cricket's image clean," he added.
The new ACU Chief is of the opinion that betting can lead to match fixing. “Whether the government legalises betting or not that is a different matter but deep inside, I feel as a police officer that betting can lead to match fixing. The government, so far, has rightly not legalised betting,” the 70-year-old further said.
“Betting encourages match fixing. So there should not be any change on this, we can make the rules more strict. We will work on that. It is a matter of great prestige that cricket is largely free of corruption. Credit should go to the BCCI for that.”
The BCCI had invited the applications for the post of ACU in 2018 with a condition that the applicants who would be applying for the post won’t be above the age of 62 as on 01.11.2018.
Khandwawala retired as Gujarat DGP in the year 2010.