New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has initiated a formal investigation into Rajasthan Royals (RR) team manager Romi Bhinder spotted using a mobile phone in the dugout during the side’s IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Guwahati.

The incident, captured live by TV cameras at the ACA Stadium, showed Bhinder using a device while seated next to teenaged left-handed opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was looking at the screen. The footage has since gone viral and raised questions regarding the breach of the league’s strict anti-corruption protocols.

According to the IPL’s Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA), a Team Manager may use a phone in the dressing room area but ‘NOT’ in the dugout. Saikia confirmed to IANS on Sunday that the BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) is currently verifying the details of the incident and has begun its probing exercise.

“As per the PMOA regulations, certain individuals like the team manager are allowed to carry phones and Romi Bhinder, as the manager of Rajasthan Royals, can carry it. But we need to thoroughly examine the phone was taken to which area and whether due permission was sought.

“By doing that, whether he has violated any protocol or regulations under our existing IPL rules and regulations is being verified and as I am speaking, we have already started the process.

“The Anti-Corruption Unit has begun the exercise to see whether he took the mobile in the designated area or beyond that. After seeing the various pieces of evidence and following the due process, they will give a report based on it,” said Saikia.

As per the tournament rules, two BCCI Anti-Corruption Managers, appointed by the Head of the BCCI Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), are responsible for the management of the PMOA. Their responsibility is to ensure that proper arrangements are in place and that security personnel are fully briefed.

With RR set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, it remains to be seen if Bhinder is spotted in the PMOA area or not. Bhinder has been an integral member of RR’s backroom staff since 2008 and also serves as Sooryavanshi’s ‘local guardian’ in the IPL.

“The phone is only to be used in case of emergency. On seeing that screengrab, it looks like he must have been watching something or using google or maybe checking any social media platform like WhatsApp or Instagram.

“The only thing is that the anti-corruption unit could take the entire data of the device he was using at that time period for their thorough investigation and even ask the player about what he was exactly looking for when seeing the device.

“If Bhinder is found to have not done anything suspicious by the ACU officers and match referee in Guwahati, then he will be let go off with a warning, or a fine of 10-20 percent could be levied on the franchise,” said a source aware of PMOA and ACU workings to IANS.

–IANS

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