Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder (right) was caught using a mobile phone inside the dugout during his team’s Indian Premier League match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati last week. | Photo Credit:  JioHotstar/Screengrab

Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder has been fined Rs 1 lakh and given a warning by the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) for using a mobile phone inside the dugout during his team’s Indian Premier League match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati last week.

“The BCCI ACSU was not satisfied with Bhinder’s response (to the showcause notice). As it is his first breach, so under the protocols (Article 4.1.1 of the BCCI IPL PMOA Protocols), he has been fined an amount (of Rs 1 lakh) and also handed a warning, clearly mentioning that he needs to be more careful in the future,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Sportstar.

The decision came after the BCCI issued a show-cause notice to Bhinder to explain his position. “The rules are set clearly for all the stakeholders, including the players and the staff, and we hope this incident will be taken as a deterrent by everyone,” Saikia added.

Footage of the incident, showing Bhinder on his phone with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi seated beside him, quickly went viral on social media, prompting the ACSU to take cognisance.

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According to the IPL’s official guidelines under the PMOA protocol, no one is allowed to use mobile phones in the dugout area. Only the team managers and media managers can use their devices, but even they are restricted to inside the dressing room, not the dugout.

‘Acknowledging the lapse, Bhinder admitted to the offence and offered an unconditional apology. As this was his first breach under the prescribed protocols, a fine of INR 1 Lakh has been imposed in accordance with Article 7.42(a) of the BCCI IPL PMOA Protocols,” the statement from the IPL added.

Ahead of every season, the IPL conducts mandatory briefings for team captains and managers, taking them through the PMOA framework and anti-corruption protocols.

Bhinder, a long-serving figure with Rajasthan Royals, has been part of that system for years. During the franchise’s suspension between 2016 and 2018, he also worked with Rising Pune Supergiant as team manager before returning to his old franchise in 2018.

The Royals will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Published on Apr 17, 2026