Mohammad Rizwan Loses Court Plea as PCB Awaits NCCIA Report
Before making a decision regarding disciplinary action against senior players Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is anticipating the results of a National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) investigation.
The development occurred subsequent to the dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan petition by the Lahore High Court, which challenged the notices issued to him by the NCCIA. After considering the arguments from both parties, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum rejected the petition during the hearing on Thursday.
The court was informed by Mohammad Rizwan attorney, Qazi Umair Ali, that the Pakistan cricketer had received notices from the agency. The player was advised by Chief Justice Neelum to respond to the notices and inquired about the date on which they were issued.
The batter was questioned at a hotel following the Lord’s Test, according to Rizwan’s counsel, without being served with a notice. Additionally, he claimed that the NCCIA confiscated Mohammad Rizwan mobile phone during the process.
The counsel stated that Rizwan surrendered his phone after being informed that it would be returned within three hours. Nevertheless, he maintained that the device had not yet been returned.
NCCIA is conducting a forensic examination of phones.
According to reports, the NCCIA is conducting an examination of the mobile phones that were confiscated from Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq as part of its inquiry.
The agency’s jurisdiction was also questioned by Rizwan’s counsel, who contended that the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit should be responsible for dealing with corruption-related issues involving international cricketers.
Additionally, he asserted that the issue had not been referred to the Anti-Corruption Unit of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Rizwan challenged the NCCIA summons and questioned the agency’s authority to conduct the investigation at the Lahore High Court.
Consequently, a report from the Times of India (TOI) disclosed that the NCCIA is conducting a forensic examination of the phones of Rizwan and Imam. The PCB is anticipated to receive the agency’s findings next week.
The PCB will determine the appropriate course of action following the NCCIA report.
The PCB is anticipated to evaluate the NCCIA’s findings prior to determining whether any disciplinary action against Rizwan and Imam is necessary. Consequently, the board’s subsequent actions will be significantly contingent upon the results of the forensic examination.
At present, the NCCIA investigation is the primary concern, and the agency is anticipated to submit its report to the PCB next week. The results could potentially dictate whether the two senior Pakistani players are subject to additional sanctions or are granted relief from the board.
