Mumbai: Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder was cleared of any corrupt wrong doing by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s Anti-corruption unit (ACSU) following an investigation for using a mobile phone in the team dugout area during RR’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Guwahati on April 10.
Having violated the rule book for using the phone in Players and Match Officials Areas (PMOA), Bhinder has been handed a nominal fine of ₹ 1 lakh and issued a warning. A decision to this effect has been conveyed to the franchise, it is learnt.
The offense was seen to have been committed inadvertently when Bhinder had to sort out a sponsorship matter in the dugout area, to attend to which he used the mobile instead of a walkie talkie in the dugout area.
The PMOA protocols do allow the manager the use of mobile phones in the dressing room but not the dugout. It was also taken into account that Bhinder had informed the ACSU prior to the tournament about his restricted movements because of a medical condition which saw him being hospitalized before the IPL for three weeks. Bhinder has been working with RR for a decade and a half for a variety of roles.
It is learnt that a warning has been sent to all concerned including vendors who deal with players and officials during a match, to adhere to ACSU restrictions.