Lahore High Court dismisses Muhammad Rizwan’s petition; PCB to await NCCIA forensic findings
Muhammad Rizwan’s petition challenging notices from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency was dismissed by the Lahore High Court during Thursday’s hearing, and the Pakistan Cricket Board will decide whether to initiate disciplinary action against Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard arguments from both sides before dismissing the petition. Advocate Qazi Umair Ali, representing Rizwan, told the court that notices had been issued to his client, prompting the chief justice to ask, "You should go and respond to the notice. On which date was the notice issued to you?" The petitioner’s lawyer said Rizwan was called to a hotel lobby after the Lord's Test, interrogated without a notice and had his mobile phone confiscated.
Rizwan’s counsel added that the player handed over his phone on the assurance it would be returned after three hours but that the device had not been returned to date, "which demonstrates bad faith." The lawyer argued in court that the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit is the appropriate forum to address corruption-related concerns involving cricketers and said the matter had not been referred to that unit.
In the petition, Rizwan’s lawyer contested the NCCIA summons, questioning both the agency’s jurisdiction and the nature of its investigation. Those legal objections formed the core of the challenge that the high court considered before delivering its ruling.
A reliable source aware of the developments said the NCCIA is carrying out a forensic examination of the mobile phones taken from Rizwan and Imam and will submit its findings to the PCB by next week. "How the PCB decides to move against the two players will now depend on what findings the NCCIA submits to the PCB. If nothing out of the ordinary is found in the forensics examination they will probably get reprieves," the source said.
The confirmed next step is the NCCIA forensic report to the PCB, expected by next week, after which the board will determine whether to pursue disciplinary proceedings against the two players.
