Rizwan NCCIA inquiry: wicketkeeper writes third letter ahead of October 2 appearance
Rizwan NCCIA inquiry: wicketkeeper writes third letter ahead of October 2 appearance
KARACHI: Mohammad Rizwan has written a third letter to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Authority, confirming he will appear before the agency today (Friday) while demanding written answers about what he is actually being investigated for. The development comes hours before his scheduled appearance in Lahore.
The Rizwan NCCIA inquiry moved again on Thursday when a copy of the wicketkeeper-batter’s letter, obtained by Geo News, showed the 34-year-old agreed to appear as directed but said he remained unclear about the allegations behind the case.
What Rizwan’s third letter asks
Rizwan pointed to a shift in the agency’s own account. He said the first notice expressly referred to allegations involving online betting and gambling, while the agency had also mentioned electronic fraud under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 in court. The latest notice, he said, made no mention of betting or gambling at all.
“Is the inquiry still related to online betting or gambling?” Rizwan asked in his letter.
He asked the NCCIA to clarify which specific provisions of PECA 2016 were relevant to the inquiry and to inform him in writing if the scope of the investigation had changed since the first notice. Rizwan said the betting allegations had become linked to claims that could affect his reputation and cricket career.
He also asked whether the Pakistan Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit or any other cricketing body had been informed about the inquiry, and whether the NCCIA had contacted them for information.
The October 2 appearance
The agency’s latest notice directed Rizwan to appear in person at 3pm today at the NCCIA police station on Street No. 15, Wafaqi Colony, Canal Road in Lahore. The purpose is the forensic examination of the mobile phone taken into his custody by the agency in late August.
The one-page notice warns that if he fails to appear at the scheduled time, it will be assumed he has nothing to present in his defence.
The Lahore High Court has already weighed in. In a recent order, it directed Rizwan to extend full cooperation to the investigation, while also instructing the agency not to harass him or cause him unnecessary inconvenience in the name of the inquiry.
How the Rizwan NCCIA inquiry has developed
The case has run for about a month. The agency took Rizwan’s phone into custody in late August. He appeared before investigators on September 10, a session that reportedly lasted a couple of hours.
This is now his second in-person appearance. With the forensic examination of the seized device at the centre of today’s session, and Rizwan’s lawyers pressing the agency to state its case clearly, the next steps will depend on what the examination turns up and whether the NCCIA answers the questions in the third letter.
Frequently asked questions
What did Rizwan ask for in his third letter to the NCCIA?
He confirmed his October 2 appearance but asked whether the inquiry is still about online betting and gambling, which PECA 2016 provisions apply, and whether the PCB or the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit has been informed.
When and where is Rizwan appearing before the NCCIA?
He is due to appear today at 3pm at the NCCIA police station on Street No. 15, Wafaqi Colony, Canal Road, Lahore, for the forensic examination of his seized mobile phone.
What is the NCCIA investigating?
The first notice referred to online betting and gambling, while the latest notice cites the “relevant provisions of PECA 2016” without mentioning betting. Rizwan’s legal team says the agency has been inconsistent in its explanations.
What did the Lahore High Court say about the case?
The court directed Rizwan to fully cooperate with the investigation, while instructing the agency not to harass him and to conduct the process strictly within the law.
