Irani refuses to speak to media, his colleagues stand by him

Ali Irani, the former Indian cricket team physio, banned by the BCCI for five years in the matchfixing scandal, refused to speak to mediapersons even as his staff and colleagues at the Nanavati Hospital insisted that "he is a fine doctor and a good human being".

The MD of Nanavati Hospital, Mika Joseph said in Mumbai today that "Irani has worked here for the last 13 years. He is a fine doctor and a good human being and I think we are lucky to have him with us. The physiotherapy department is one of our best and you can speak to his patients who refuse to believe or leave him," he added. Queried whether any action would be taken in the wake of the ban, Joseph said "no comments."

A colleague of Irani, Ashok Hatolkar said "we have full faith in him because he is still as good a doctor today as he was last night. I don't think just one news flash would change anything. Even assuming the charges are true, it will amount to an economic offence and Irani's competence as a doctor is beyond reproach," he said.

Though Irani was busy with his patients in the hospital, his secretary said he would not meet any reporters and "we have standing instructions not to let the media in."