3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 7, 2026 09:36 PM IST
The BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has flagged the presence of unauthorised persons in team dug-outs during the IPL and more transgressions that aren’t in the public domain. Based on this information, the Indian board has called a meeting of the CEOs of all franchises this weekend to remind them of the protocol in place even as it decides on the apt action against teams and individuals who have not followed the rulebook.
“There are unauthorised persons travelling in team buses, in team hotels and even in the dugout area… Some people have been spotted in places where they are not supposed to,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told The Indian Express.
He said that norms and advisory about the conduct of players and teams have been in place since 2008 but they aren’t being followed.
“People are becoming casual nowadays, We wouldn’t allow them to be casual. We are reminding them that if there’s any violation, we will not show any leniency. No one will be spared.”
The former first-class player and lawyer said that they had got inputs from the ACU that was “very proactive, very prompt and very professional. Saikia said that the watchdog, headed by retired IPS officer Sharad Kumar, had provided them intelligence that was beyond the two incidents officially confirmed by the Indian board.
Both cases officially acknowledged by the BCCI involve Rajasthan Royals. In the first, their manager was pulled up for using a phone in the dugout, which was against the rules. This was followed by team captain Riyan Parag’s vaping video from the dressing room going viral. After listening to the manager and captain, the BCCI had fined them.
“Incidents are already in the public domain and we have already taken action,” Saikia said.
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The vaping probe isn’t over and more action can be expected. “We might take further action in the vaping incident that is still open… We are not sitting idle. We want everybody to know that these kinds of things will not be tolerated in the IPL or in any BCCI match,” he said.
In the past, there have been serious wrongdoings by those with access to the team dugouts. The key accused in the 2013 spot-fixing case was Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of then BCCI chief and Chennai Super Kings owner N Srinivasan. The probe found him to be guilty of illegal betting and providing inside information to bookies. He was banned for life from any cricket activities. Meiyappan had been a regular in the CSK dugout.
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