Rajeev Shukla’s Aide Clears Air, Says No Cricket Connection Left

Before the start of the second T20 between India and West Indies in Lucknow, Akram was seen with the two captains.

File picture of Akram Saifi (left) with Rajeev Shukla and Virat Kohli.

(Photo: Twitter/@Akramsa74295150)

The presence of Akram Saifi, the tainted aide of IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla, at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium during the second T20I between India and West Indies on 6 November had raised some red flags. Akram was spotted with the two captains – Rohit Sharma and Carlos Brathwaite on the field.

The sight of Akram amidst cricketers and cricket officials meant that the personal assistant of Mr Shukla, who is no longer believed to be associated with BCCI or Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), was back in the cricketing circle despite his dubious past.

When The Quint asked Akram if he is again a part of BCCI or UPCA, he was prompt enough to reply in the negative.

“I am no longer connected with BCCI or UPCA. I didn’t have an all-access pass, it was a guest pass. Earlier, when I was with BCCI, I used to have one but this time around it was only a guest pass.”

Akram Saifi to <b>The Quint</b>

Akram was in the news four months back for allegedly seeking bribe in the form of cash and prostitutes in his hotel room in exchange for selection in Uttar Pradesh’s Under-23 squad.

News 1, a Lucknow-based news channel, had carried out a sting which allegedly caught Akram in the act.

After four months and two probes Akram was given a clean chit. The first one by BCCI was cancelled midway after Akram gave his resignation. Later, his state association also called for a probe, which was headed by UPCA’s ombudsman Justice CK Prasad, which gave him the clean chit.

Akram’s guest pass theory was also dubious. So, when The Quint asked how a guest pass can let someone be on the field, along with the captains, he explained:

“I was standing outside the boundary. Both the captains were coming from behind. The picture was taken in a way that it looked like I was standing with them. I was there since the governor was inaugurating the stadium. I wasn’t even there for the full match.”

Akram Saifi to <b>The Quint</b>

But when Yudhvir Singh, the secretary of UPCA, was asked about it, he couldn’t confirm whether Akram was issued a guest-pass or not.

“We don’t know anything about the pass. Maybe he got it from somewhere. We had given lots of guest-passes so not sure whether he got it or not. I will have to check the list.”

Yudhvir Singh to <b>The Quint</b>

Though BCCI had agreed to investigate the allegations raised against Saifi in the sting, the probe was cancelled after he resigned. It is unclear whether he was an IPL manager or only assistant manager to Rajeev Shukla prior to his resignation, since BCCI ACU chief Ajit Singh couldn’t confirm the fact.

“We had ordered a probe but then Akram resigned and Mr Rajeev Shukla accepted it so we ended the probe.”

Ajit Singh to <b>The Quint</b>

This violates Rule 32 of the BCCI’s regulations that any complaint of misconduct has to be decided by a commissioner, who should submit his findings within 15 days.

When the Quint contacted Vinod Rai, chair of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators that is running the BCCI, he declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Akram, Yudhvir Singh and Ajit Singh reiterated the fact that any discussion in the matter was baseless since Akram got a clean chit from Justice Prasad during the investigation, and the complainant Rahul Sharma had also retracted all his allegations.