March 26: The Kathmandu District Court has acquitted five people, including cricketer Adil Ansari and former national cricket player Mahaboob Alam, who were accused of match-fixing. A bench of Judge Kamal Prasad Pokharel on Monday acquitted five people held on the charge of match fixing, arguing that the petitioners’ claim was not sufficient to prove them guilty.

According to Chandra Prasad Panthi, information officer of the District Court, Kathmandu, the court acquitted the five persons after the claims made by the government against them could not be substantiated. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had arrested cricketers Mahabub Alam and Mohammad Adil Ansari on charge of spot fixing and match fixing on January 23 last year. They were later released on a bail of Rs 300,000 each.

The franchise-club based T-20 league was held at the TU cricket ground in Kirtipur from December 24, 2022 to January 11, 2023. The match was organized by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in strategic and commercial partnership with India's Seven3 Sports Pvt. Ltd.

The CIB had submitted its investigation report to the Office of the District Attorney in mid-February last year recommended action against 12 people involved in the spot fixing and match fixing scam. The 12 people, including the two cricketers, recommended for prosecution were accused of helping to alter the results of the match, indulging in match fixing and inciting others to be involved in the illegal act.