Names new three-man probe panel to look into IPl spot-fixing scandal
In a big relief to N Srinivasan, the Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed him to take charge as BCCI President even as it constituted a three-member committee headed by former Punjab & Haryana Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal to inquire into the allegation of betting and spot-fixing against his son-in-law and owners of Rajasthan Royals.
Srinivasan had stepped aside from his post after his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested in connection with the spot-fixing scandal.
He was later restrained by the apex court from taking charge after being re-elected as President. Srinivasan has now been allowed to get back at the helm of affairs of the cricketing body after almost four months.
A bench of justices A K Patnaik and J S Kehar, however, appointed a new committee to probe allegations against Meiyappan and owners of Rajasthan Royals including Raj Kundra and was asked to submit its report in the apex court preferably within four months.
The committee, also comprising senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General N Nagehswar Rao and Assam Cricket Association member Nilay Dutta, will file its report on the termination of contract of erring franchise.
The apex court directed the BCCI and Srinivasan, whose company India Cements owns IPl team Chennai Super Kings, not to interfere in the probe to be done by the Committee and directed to cooperate with it by providing all information.
The bench turned down the plea of Cricket Association of Bihar(CAB), which had filed petition against BCCI and Srinivasan, that he be not allowed to take charge till completion of probe.
It also clarified that its order in no way cast any doubt and aspersion on the members of the panel which was appointed by the BCCI to inquire into the controversy and which gave clean chit to Mayyapan. The bench said that the new committee will probe on all allegations levelled by CAB in its petition on betting and spot-fixing in IPl matches.
The bench said that the committee will submit its report to the apex court which will consider it and pass order on the basis of findings of the report.
The counsel appearing for BCCI and CAB said that they have objection on the names of three-member panel proposed on Monday by the apex court which had rejected BCCI's plea for setting up a Special Purpose Committee (SPC) comprising senior politician Arun Jaitley and Dutta to look into the issue.
The bench had asked the counsel of BCCI and CAB, which are at loggerheads on the issue of fresh probe in the scandal, to seek instructions on the proposed panel.
The court was hearing cross appeals filed by BCCI and CAB challenging Bombay High Court's order which had declared BCCI's probe panel in the scandal as illegal.
The apex court had on August 30 heard the petition filed by Aditya Verma, Secretary, CAB, challenging the high court's order refusing to appoint a fresh committee to probe the scam.
CAB has pleaded that when the high court declared the panel of two judges as unconstitutional, it should have appointed a fresh committee to look into the issue.
Senior BCCI office-bearers welcome SC order The senior office-bearers of the BCCI welcomed the Supreme Court's order. "We have always respected the observations and orders of the apex court. We had complete faith in the judiciary. The BCCI accepts the court order with utmost humility. We are happy that Mr Srinivasan will be able to perform his presidential duties," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said.
"Mr Srinivasan had recused himself from the day to day activities of the BCCI and not for once did the Board break any rules," Patel added. BCCI joint secretary and Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur also welcomed the decision.
"It's certainly a relief that Mr Srinivasan will be officially taking charge of the BCCI. He has been unanimously elected as the president of the BCCI and the members have a lot of faith in his abilities as an administrator," Thakur said.
Senior BCCI vice-president and veteran Cricket Association of Bengal official Chitrak Mitra said that Srinivasan taking charge meant that there won't be any "constitutional crisis in the board" which looked imminent during the last few days. "We are extremely happy that Mr Srinivasan is officially back at the helm. There was a possibility of constitutional crisis arising out of a situation where he was not being able to take charge.
"The Honourable Supreme Court's orders will only help BCCI set the house in order. Srinivasan is an able administrator and the functioning of the Board has been smooth under his supervision," Mitra added.