Sri Lanka player suspended by ICC, charged with breach of anti-corruption code
Dubai: Former Sri Lanka player Dilhara Lokuhettige was Thursday provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after being charged with fixing and failure to disclose corrupt approaches in an ongoing probe.
Lokuhettige, a former medium pacer who played nine ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals for Sri Lanka, has been charged with three counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and given 14 days to respond.
These new allegations are in addition to similar charges brought against him on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board last year during his stint with a T10 league in the UAE.
"That provisional suspension remains in full force and effect and he has additionally been provisionally suspended under the ICC Code pending the determination of these new charges," the ICC said in a statement.
Lokuhettige's suspension continued ICC's anti-corruption drive in Sri Lanka Cricket in which has even embroiled 1996 World Cup-winning batting legend Sanath Jayasuriya, who was banned for two years after admitting to destruction of evidence during the ongoing investigations.
The 38-year-old Lokuhettige has been charged with the following three offences under the Code:
Article 2.1.1 Fixing, contriving or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to any agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any International Match.
Article 2.1.4 Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.
Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received by him to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.
Lokuhettige has 14 days starting the Wednesday gone by to respond to the new charges.
"The ICC will not make any further comment in respect of these charges at this stage," the world body said.
On Wednesday, the ICC said it would be working in close cooperation with the Interpol to widen the scope of its fight against corruptors in the sport all across the world.
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Four doctors in Kerala booked for birth of newborn with genetic disorders
Alappuzha, (Kerala) (PTI): Four doctors in Kerala have been booked for allegedly failing to detect genetic disorders in a newborn while it was still in the mother's womb, the police said on Thursday.
The accused include two female doctors attached to the Kadappuram Government Women and Child Hospital in Alappuzha, along with two doctors from private diagnostic labs, according to the Alappuzha South police.
The police registered an FIR on Tuesday based on a complaint lodged by Anish and Surumi, a couple from Alappuzha.
They alleged that the doctors failed to detect or disclose the genetic abnormalities during prenatal scans, instead assuring them that the reports were normal.
The couple also claimed that they were shown the baby only four days after delivery, according to the complaint.
The FIR stated that Surumi, 35, was undergoing treatment for her third pregnancy at Kadappuram Women and Child Hospital.
On October 30, Surumi was admitted for delivery. However, she was referred to Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Vandanam, Alappuzha, citing the absence of fetal movement and heartbeat, the FIR said.
On November 8, the baby was delivered following surgery at MCH and was found to have severe internal and external deformities, the FIR stated.
Meanwhile, one of the accused doctors, responding to the allegations, said she had treated Surumi only during the initial months of her pregnancy.
"I provided care for three months at the beginning of her pregnancy. The reports shown to me indicated issues with the fetus's growth," she said.
The doctors associated with the diagnostic labs, however, maintained that there were no errors in the scan reports.
The police registered a case invoking Sections 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 125 (b) (where grievous hurt is caused, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused.
