The Board of Control for Cricket in India's Inquiry Commissioner D V Subba Rao, appointed to look into the unprecedented charges of bribery involving first class cricketer Abhijit Kale, will begin his probe next week after receiving the relevant papers.
"I am expecting to receive all the papers from the cricket Board by Monday. Only then I can start the actual work," said Rao, who is also the chairman of the Bar Council of India.
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Asked whether he would be able to complete the inquiry within the stipulated 15 days, Rao said, "I am quite hopeful of doing it. I think 15 days should be enough".
The Inquiry Commissioner said his probe would be initially confined to three persons --Kale and the two national selectors, Kiran More and Pranab Roy, who have made the complaint, but he may broaden the scope if necessary.
"At the moment I will be calling Kale and the two selectors. Since the selectors have made the complaint they will obviously be called. Other issues don't come into the picture. It will be limited to these three persons," he said.
"But if I feel that it is a much bigger case and need to summon more people, I will make the recommendations to the cricket Board", he said.
Rao, who is based in Vishakhapatnam, said he has not yet decided where to hold the sittings. "I have not yet decided on these logistical aspects."
Stung by the bribery scandal, the BCCI on Friday suspended Kale for allegedly offering Rs one million each to two national selectors for a place in the Indian team to Australia and appointed Rao as the Commissioner of Inquiry.
The Commissioner has been asked to submit his findings within 15 days.
The inquiry report will be referred to the BCCI's Disciplinary Committee for final adjudication and till that time Kale will remain suspended from participating in any tournament conducted by the Board.
Kale, who has denied the charge, has also been asked by the Maharashtra Cricket Association to appear before a three-member inquiry committee in Pune.