Romi Bhinder, the under-fire Rajasthan Royals manager, may yet get away with a light sanction - a warning, fine or a rap on the knuckles.

The Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has show-caused him for using a mobile phone in the players' dugout during the game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati, may take a lenient view of the case given the manager's health condition. A formal sanction has not yet been announced, but it is unlikely to extend beyond a warning or a fine. Serious sanctions like suspension or ban are unlikely.

A BCCI source told this website that the manager's actions were injudicious and indiscreet, but there was no indication of any malicious intent or a breach of the anti-corruption code. "He also appears to have serious health issues. The ACSU will take the final call, but on the face of it, this does not seem to be a major violation," the source said.

Upon receiving the notice, Bhinder is understood to have responded within the 48-hour window, furnishing all relevant details and medical records and may also have submitted an apology. It is well known that he has battled serious lung issues, and at one stage, doctors in Nagpur - where he resides - had even lost hope. So grave was the situation that friends and family members were informed of the severity of his condition. Bhinder is also understood to have informed the BCCI in advance about his health condition.

Bhinder was seen using a mobile handset during the Rajasthan Royals-Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) match in Guwahati on April 10. He was near the dugout, and it remains a matter of contention whether he was technically within it. In images that later surfaced, he was seated in front of a refrigerator, with the teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi beside him, also looking at the phone.

The team manager is permitted to use mobile phones, but only inside the dressing room as per PMOA guidelines. Bhinder's lapse was using the phone outside the designated area.