The BCCI's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) has penalized a young Tamil Nadu cricketer with Rs 1 lakh in the ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) for using a mobile phone inside a restricted zone.

The breach took place on August 10 at the NPR College ground in Natham, Dindigul, during a TNPL match. The ACSU subsequently reported the matter to the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), which has now launched its own probe.

The unnamed player, who is 26, made his Ranji Trophy debut last season and is a left-handed batter. He scored two half-centuries for Tamil Nadu in the previous Ranji Trophy campaign.

According to a senior TNCA official, he was caught texting his girlfriend from the dugout, although the investigation of the device found no activity or links to bookmakers.

The ACSU, however, treated the use of an undeclared phone inside the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) as a protocol violation. The player was served a notice and asked to explain the breach, but his response was deemed unsatisfactory.

The TNCA instructed the franchise to remove him from the squad immediately. The association initially considered a two-year ban, but they reduced it to a financial penalty because the offence lacked corrupt intent.

TNCA secretary U Bhagawandas Rao confirmed the player remains unavailable for selection while local officials conduct an independent investigation.

"We have received a letter (from the ACSU) about this incident. We have instructed the team owners not to consider him for selection until the enquiry is over. We are currently investigating the matter and will take appropriate action," Rao said.

During its investigation, the ACSU found no corruption-related activity, but issued Rs 1 lakh fine for the unauthorized mobile phone use during a match.

"While no corruption charges has been levelled, using mobile phone in PMOA during course of a match is prohibited. Hence it's a protocol breach," a senior TNCA official told PTI.

The TNCA will determine subsequent actions after completing its investigation into the incident.