BCCI suspends Pune curator after tampering claims in sting

The BCCI on Wednesday suspended the curator of Pune's cricket stadium after he was seen in a TV sting operation claiming that he could tamper with the pitch ahead of the second India-New Zealand ODI.

In the sting operation by India Today TV, curator Pandurang Salgaoncar is seen and heard speaking to an undercover reporter, who poses as a bookie, while standing on the pitch of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium. The 68-year-old Salgaoncar is seen agreeing to tamper with the pitch to suit the requirements put forth by the



reporter.

Reporters said the video was shot last evening. It is not clear how Salgaoncar, a former pacer and one-time India prospect, could have tweaked the pitch with just a few hours to go before the match later on Wednesday.

"Pandurang Salgaoncar has been suspended from the MCA's curator's post with immediate effect," BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary said. "The MCA has also suspended Salgaoncar from all other positions in the association. An inquiry commission will also be constituted by the MCA," Chaudhary added.