Curious case of Pune curator amid betting pitch

Pune/Chandigarh : Barely hours before the second One-Day International between India and New Zealand was to start, a TV channel sting operation on the pitch curator caused a sensation and deep embarrassment to India and the Indian cricket board (BCCI).
The sting operation by India Today TV showed the curator, Pandurang Salgaoncar, commit several very serious offences. He agreed to provide information on the pitch to the undercover reporter; he agreed to share information with the “bookie” in the future in return for a share of the earnings from betting; and he also let the bookie step on the pitch yesterday. The TV channel claimed that Salgaoncar agreed to tamper with the pitch to suit the requirements of the bookies; however, in the report, he does not explicitly agree to tamper with the pitch.
The controversy did not affect the match, which went ahead as scheduled after a routine inspection of the pitch by International Cricket Committee (ICC) match referee Chris Broad. BCCI sacked Salgaoncar and put Ramesh Mhamunkar, a member of its grounds and pitches committee, in charge of the pitch.
BCCI said it will carry out a “detailed inquiry”. In the TV report, Salgaoncar is seen chatting with the undercover reporter in the ground and in a car. The reporter is not shown to be introducing himself as a bookie, though he says several times that he would bet on the match, and on other matches in future, and share the profits with Salgaoncar.