The Lahore High Court has dismissed the Rizwan NCCIA petition, ruling against the cricketer’s challenge. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard the case, while lawyer Qazi Umair Ali represented Rizwan. During the hearing, Ali argued that the allegations against Rizwan were false and baseless. He told the court that officials had questioned Rizwan in a hotel lobby after the Lord’s Test without serving him formal notice.
According to Ali, officials also took Rizwan’s mobile phone into custody. He said authorities promised to return it within three hours. However, the phone remained with investigators well beyond that timeframe. Ali argued this delay reflected bad faith on the agency’s part.
He further contended that the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit was the appropriate forum for corruption-related allegations. Still, he confirmed that no one had referred any matter concerning Rizwan there. Meanwhile, Justice Neelum expressed clear displeasure with the lawyer for failing to bring the case file to court. She noted that Rizwan had already complied with the agency’s September 10 summons.
“What brings you to court now?” Justice Neelum asked during the proceedings. She then directed Rizwan’s legal team to approach the agency directly. “Go there, tell them and respond to the notice,” she instructed. The court subsequently dismissed the petition in full.
The NCCIA notice reportedly relates to an ongoing inquiry into online betting and gambling. Rizwan had challenged the notice by questioning the agency’s jurisdiction and the basis for the inquiry. He maintained that the notice failed to identify any specific allegation against him. Additionally, he said investigators never clarified the accusations despite his repeated requests during questioning.
Rizwan later submitted a written response to the agency through courier. He sought clarification about the summons and asked why officials still had not returned his phone. Earlier this month, Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq both appeared before the NCCIA in Lahore. Reports say investigators questioned the two players for roughly two hours.
The questioning reportedly centered on alleged information leaks from the dressing room during the England Test series. Investigators also asked about their contacts and meetings during practice sessions and matches. Furthermore, the agency has been conducting forensic analysis of both players’ mobile phones. It is also reviewing financial dealings and suspected transactions tied to the pair. So far, the NCCIA has not announced any official findings against either player.
