PCA withdraws accreditation of alleged punter posing as journo

Mohali, Mar 12 (UNI) The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) today confiscated the accreditation card of a 21-year-old British passport holder, who was allegedly giving match information by masquerading as a journalist.

For the last three days, the alleged punter was operating from the media box and reportedly working for an online betting website.

His functioning became suspicious as he worked even when the match was suspended due to fading light on the first two days of the ongoing Test. He was seen as keying some figures on his computer.

The matter was reported to the PCA authorities, which swiftly acted. He was ordered to leave the stadium and his accreditation card issued by the PCA to cover the Test was confiscated.

''Issuing accreditation card to the alleged punter was a genuine oversight by the committee responsible for issuing cards to the mediapersons,'' said PCA secretary and joint secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India M P Pandove.

Meanwhile, media in-charge and PCA treasurer G S Walia explained that the London-based punter was issued the accreditation card for covering the Test at the eleventh hour.

Shocked by the incident, Walia and Pandove said, ''We will be more vigilant and strict in future before issuing accreditation cards to any one.'' The PCA is giving accreditation cards to journalists only on production of authorisation letters from their respective offices.

It is not clear whether this procedure was followed in this particular case.

UNI XC PDS KN1551