Former Indian captain MohammadAzharuddin was on Thursday a relieved man after the life banimposed on him for alleged involvement in match-fixing was setaside by the Andhra Pradesh High Court but refused to takelegal action against the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI).
The 49-year-old, who is now a Lok Sabha MP from Moradabadin Uttar Pradesh, sought to struck a conciliatory note withthe body which slapped him with the ban, saying that he wouldnot want to blame anybody for the pain he suffered in the past12 years.
"It was a long drawn out legal case and it was painful. We fought in the court for 11 years. There were lots ofadjournments, changes in the case. But finally the verdict hascome and I am happy that the ban has been lifted by thecourt," Azharuddin told a hastily-called press conference athis residence here.
Asked if he would take any legal action against BCCI, theformer captain said, "I am not going to take any legal actionagainst any authority and I don't want to blame anybody forthis also. It is about destiny and whatever had to happen hashappened. I don't have any complaint."
A bench of justices Ashutosh Mohanta and Krishna MohanReddy of the Andhra Pradesh High Court gave relief toAzharuddin, allowing his appeal challenging the order of alocal court, which had upheld the decision of the BCCI.
The bench lifted the ban agreeing with Azharuddin'scounsel K Ramakant Reddy's argument that there was no evidenceagainst the former cricketer that he succumbed to any pressurewhile playing cricket.
Asked persistently if the ban was illegal, Azharuddinsaid, "That is why it was lifted. But I don't want to say muchabout this. I have said whatever I wanted to say at the courtthrough my counsel."
"My conscience was clear and I was not happy by the ban. But I am the person to take things positively. I am happy nowand want to move on," said the former captain who ended hisTest career at 99 matches because of the ban.