The Supreme Court on Wednesday averted a possible threat to the elevation of BJP MP Anurag Thakur (in pic) as chief of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by refusing to hear a petition to stall the election scheduled on Sunday.
Thakur, who is a BJP MP from Hamirpur is tipped to become the BCCI chief after the exit of Shashank Manohar who recently stepped down. But challenging his elevation from Secretary to President, Cricket Association of Bihar came complaining to the apex court alleging that Thakur was unfit for the top cricketing post due to a pending criminal charge accusing him of encroaching land for purpose of cricket stadium at Dharamsala in HP.
The Vacation Bench of Justices Abhay Manohar Sapre and Ashok Bhushan refused to entertain the urgent request by CAB counsel suggesting that the matter should be heard by the special bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) TS Thakur, which is seized of the case relating to reforms in BCCI. The order came as a relief to Thakur as the special bench comprising CJI and Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifulla is likely to be constituted only after the Court reopens by June-end.
CAB in its petition informed the Court that Thakur’s elevation would go contrary to the reforms proposed by the Justice RM lodha Committee to Reform BCCI which specifically bars charge-sheeted persons from assuming top post in BCCI. The petition cited details of a case of cheating and misappropriation filed in August 2013 by the State Anti-Corruption Bureau against Thakur as head of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA).
The case related to irregularities in allotment of land for construction of a residential complex for cricket players situated three kilometers from Dharamsala stadium. However, the land was allegedly used to build a five star hotel. Presently, the Supreme Court has stayed trial proceedings in the case involving charges under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.
The stay came on Thakur’s petition alleging vendetta against him by the state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who is his political bête noire.