BCCI Appoint Former Gujarat DGP As New Chief Of Anti-Corruption Unit

Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala, the former Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP), has been appointed as the Chief Of the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit. He will replace Ajit Singh at the position ahead of the IPL 2021.

Ajit Singh, a former DGP of Rajasthan, held the office from April 2018 to March 2021. Ajit Singh, however, will be around for some time to help Khandwawala get to the terms of his new role, according to a report in PTI. Khandwawala, 70, is a 1973 batch IPS officer.

He was an advisor to the Essar Group for the last 10 years after retiring as Gujarat DGP in December 2010. He has also been a part of the central government’s Lokpal Search Committee, which was mandated to appoint the Lokpal. He has recently attended the final ODI between India and England last month in Pune to get an idea of the way things work in 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 told PTI.

“I also want to congratulate my predecessor for doing a fine a job and keeping Indian cricket’s image clean,” he added.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirms that IPL will go as scheduled despite lockdown in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra state governments have announced a weekend lockdown – from Friday 8 pm to Monday 7 am – in wake of the recent surge in covid-19 cases. This puts the IPL 2021 in jeopardy as the Wankhede Stadium will host 10 matches this season from April 10 to 25.

However, the BCCI President and former India captain, Sourav Ganguly, has assured fans that the tournament will continue as it is scheduled. The season opener between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will be played on 9th in Chennai, and the second game on 10th is slated in Mumbai between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals.

“Everything will go on as per schedule,” Sourav Ganguly told ANI.

State Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik also confirmed that the permission for conducting IPL matches has been granted, provided the players follow the protocols.

“The permission has been given for the matches with restrictions, the crowd would not be allowed to enter the stadiums. Whoever is participating in the IPL, would have to stay at one place in isolation. There can be no overcrowding, we have made this clear and on this basis, we have given the permission,” Nawab Malik told ANI.

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