Deepak Agarwal, Corruptor Involved In Shakib Al Hasan Case, Banned By ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Wednesday, banned Deepak Agarwal, the owner of the T10 franchise Sindhis, for two years. Six months of those two years will be a suspended sentence as he offered cooperation while admitting his violation of the anti-corruption code.

Deepak Agarwal is not a very unfamiliar name in the cricket circles. Last year, he was all over the news after Bangladesh star Shakib Al Hasan was banned for two years by the ICC over corruption charges. Deepak Agarwal had approached Shakib a number of times but the allrounder did not report those approaches to the concerned authorities. According to the ICC, Deepak Agarwal wanted to obtain inside information from  Shakib to use for betting purposes.

The ICC order charged him for destroying or tampering with the evidence. He apparently asked ‘Mr.X’, who is also a participant, to delete all the messages that had transpired between the two of them.

“In other words, Mr Agarwal instructed Mr X to conceal and/or destroy information which might be relevant to the ACU’s investigations. Mr Agarwal also instructed Mr X to lie to the ACU about when he had last spoken to Mr Agarwal, as they had had conversations during a time where Mr Agarwal had explicitly been told by the ACU not to engage with Mr X,” stated ICC.

According to ICC’s latest sentencing, Deepak Agarwal won’t be allowed to be associated with any form of cricket – domestic as well as international – till April 27, 2022. The last six months of which are to be suspended.

The ICC statement clarified, “Subject to him satisfying conditions in respect of the suspended part of the sanction, he will be free to resume his involvement in the game on 27 October 2021. “

In 2018, Deepak Agarwal had bought the Sindhis franchise and had been under the radar of the ICC ACU since then. During one of the investigations he did admit having concealed some information related to another participator, probably Mr. X. The Delhi-based businessman has been handed the sentence under article 2.4.7 of the ACU.

ICC general manager – Alex Marshall – said: “There were a number of examples of Agarwal obstructing and delaying our investigations and it was not just a one-off occurrence.

“However, he made a prompt admission of his breach of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and continues to provide substantial assistance to the ACU in relation to several investigations involving other participants. This cooperation is reflected in his sanction. “

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