IPL-fixing: Why Chennai Super Kings shouldn’t be disqualified, SC asks BCCI
NEW DELHI : Resuming the hearing of the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal case, the Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the BCCI as to why Chennai Super Kings shouldn’t be disqualified from the IPL and asked them to act immediately on the Mudgal report.The court observed that Srinivasan by virtue of being President-in-exile of BCCI and the CSK owner holds two posts leading to a conflict of interest. Asking the cricket’s governing body to end all controversies, the SC recommended Srinivasan to relinquish one of the two posts.
SC also sought details of the ownership of India Cements. By doing so, the court wanted to find out the exact ownership details of the CSK.SC also observed that an external commission should be set up to hand out punishment to persons found guilty in the Mudgal committee report. On BCCI election issue, SC proposed that election can be held but persons named in Mudgal report will not contest and new board will take decision on IPL-6 scam.
Meanwhile, BCCI submits that an external commission be set up to hand out punishment to persons found guilty in the Mudgal committee report.The apex court has questioned the BCCI President-in-exile about equity held by him and his family in India Cements who own the CSK franchise in the IPL.The SC has requested a written reply from Srinivasan in the IPL case.For the first time, the BCCI admitted that Gurunath Meiyappan was a CSK offcial.
The hearing comes after an apex court bench of Justice TS Thakur and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla on Monday had asked sidelined BCCI president N Srinivasan whether he was in a position of conflict or not while being the head of the Indian cricket’s governing body and also holding a franchise in the IPL.
The top court had maintained that the cash-rich tournament is a mutual beneficial society between BCCI and IPL.Making some stringent observations over the report submitted by the Mudgal panel, the Supreme Court told BCCI that the common man’s trust has been shaken and it’s time to uphold the glory of the game.
Observing that it is a “serious issue that can’t be wished away”, the apex court also made it clear that it will consider the conduct of his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, an official of Chennai Super Kings, while deciding his plea to get back his post from which he had to step aside in June last year in view of the IPL-6 betting and spot fixing scandal.
“Please do not go by the report that you are not involved in the betting and spot fixing and scuttling the probe. Despite all this your official is involved which will affect you,” the bench told Srinivasan’s counsel Kapil Sibal who pleaded that the report has nothing against him.”Don’t presume anything,” the bench said, adding,”You are contesting the election by saying that you are not involved but somebody close to you is involved.”
At the outset, the bench raised questions on how Srinivasan can own a team while being President of the Board. It said “the BCCI and IPL cannot be separated and is a creature or product or byproduct of BCCI”.The court added that in the course of the hearing on the Mudgal committee report which has exonerated Srinivasan of any betting or match fixing or scuttling probe in IPL 2013, has indicted his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan of betting.The court has also recorded some findings about Raj Kundra, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals.
