With inputs from Gopal K

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ombudsman Justice (retd) DK Jain will decide on the quantum of punishment for former India pacer S Sreesanth, who had been accused on involvement in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal. 

The apex court had on March 15 overturned the life ban imposed on Sreesanth by the BCCI. The court had said at that time that the life ban was too harsh a punishment and hence a new quantum of punishment must be decided. 

The bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and KM Joseph, while hearing an application filed by the BCCI, directed the board's ombudsman to reconsider the quantum of punishment within three months.    

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However, the apex court said last month that its verdict will have no bearing on the criminal proceedings pending against the former India and Rajasthan Royals bowler in the Delhi high court. The Delhi Police had challenged a trial court's order exonerating Sreesanth and the others accused in the IPL spot-fixing scandal. 

The Kerala high court had in 2017 lifted the life ban imposed on Sreesanth by the BCCI and set aside all disciplinary proceedings initiated against him by the board. Later that year, a division bench of the high court restored the ban after the BCCI filed a petition against the court's earlier order. The division bench ruled that the court could not conduct a judicial review of the ban on Sreesanth imposed by the BCCI.  

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In 2013, the Delhi Police arrested three Rajasthan Royals players — Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan — on the allegation of spot-fixing matches in the IPL.     The Mumbai Police arrested actor Vindu Dara Singh and Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan on the charge of betting and having connection with bookies.   

In July 2015, Sreesanth, Chandila and Chavan were found not guilty by Delhi's Patiala House Court and cleared of all charges. In January 2016, however, Chandila was banned for life from all forms of cricket by the BCCI.