NEW DELHI - In a major embarrassment to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President N Srinivasan and raising questions over the status of Chennai Super Kings, his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan’s role in CSK as the team official and his involvement in betting during the IPL matches stands proved, a Supreme Court of India -appointed Committee has found.
“The role of Gurunath Meiyappan in Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as the team official stands proved and the allegations of betting and passing of information against Meiyappan stand proved,” a report of the three-member committee headed by former Punjab and Haryana Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal said. “However, the allegations of fixing require further investigation,” said the committee, also comprising Additional Solicitor General N Nagehswar Rao and Assam Cricket Association member Nilay Dutta.
The committee’s report comes two days ahead of the auction in Bangalore for the high-profile IPL tournament this year and raises questions on the status of the CSK as Meiyappan was the Team Principal of CSK, though Srinivasan claimed he was only a cricket enthusiast. The team may attract provisions of termination clause under the Franchise Agreement which says that any franchisee, franchisee group company and/or any owner acts in any way that has adverse affect on the reputation of the League, BCCI/IPL, BCCI and the game of cricket. The committee, which was asked to give a report, was appointed by a Bench of justices A K Patnaik and J S Kehar to probe the allegation of betting and spot-fixing against Meiyappan and owners of Rajasthan Royals. The report also dealt with the allegations of betting and spot fixing against Rajashthan Royals’ Raj Kundra and said it need to be further investigated. “Allegation of betting and spot fixing against Raj Kundra, team owner of Jaipur Cricket Private Limited, need to be further investigated,” the report added. The court was hearing cross appeals filed by BCCI and Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) challenging Bombay High Court’s order which had declared the BCCI’s probe panel in the scandal as illegal.
The three-member committee also stated that after perusing the information provided by Delhi and Chennai police, FIR and chargesheet filed by Mumbai police, transcript of telephonic conversation, conclusions emerge that Meiyappan indulged in betting through Bindoo Dara Singh, who was in direct touch with the bookies and punters like Vikram Aggarwal.
The Committee said it based its conclusiond only on the objective facts gathered during the course of its probe and contents of the chargesheet and other documents produced by the investigating agency. The committee also took note of the issue of conflict of interest raised against Srinivasan, saying it was serious but left it for the Supreme Court to consider it. (PTI)
The committee’s report comes two days ahead of the auction in Bangalore for the high-profile IPL tournament this year and raises questions on the status of the CSK as Meiyappan was the Team Principal of CSK, though Srinivasan claimed he was only a cricket enthusiast. The team may attract provisions of termination clause under the Franchise Agreement which says that any franchisee, franchisee group company and/or any owner acts in any way that has adverse affect on the reputation of the League, BCCI/IPL, BCCI and the game of cricket. The committee, which was asked to give a report, was appointed by a Bench of justices A K Patnaik and J S Kehar to probe the allegation of betting and spot-fixing against Meiyappan and owners of Rajasthan Royals. The report also dealt with the allegations of betting and spot fixing against Rajashthan Royals’ Raj Kundra and said it need to be further investigated. “Allegation of betting and spot fixing against Raj Kundra, team owner of Jaipur Cricket Private Limited, need to be further investigated,” the report added. The court was hearing cross appeals filed by BCCI and Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) challenging Bombay High Court’s order which had declared the BCCI’s probe panel in the scandal as illegal.
The three-member committee also stated that after perusing the information provided by Delhi and Chennai police, FIR and chargesheet filed by Mumbai police, transcript of telephonic conversation, conclusions emerge that Meiyappan indulged in betting through Bindoo Dara Singh, who was in direct touch with the bookies and punters like Vikram Aggarwal.
The Committee said it based its conclusiond only on the objective facts gathered during the course of its probe and contents of the chargesheet and other documents produced by the investigating agency. The committee also took note of the issue of conflict of interest raised against Srinivasan, saying it was serious but left it for the Supreme Court to consider it. (PTI)
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