IPL fixing case Live: BCCI respects SC's order, will abide by it, says Rajeev Shukla

20.06 IST: BCCI responds to SC verdict

The BCCI welcomes the order of the Honorable Supreme Court, which has put to rest the uncertainty, that has prevailed in the recent past.

The BCCI will extend its unstinted cooperation to the three-member committee appointed by the Honorable Supreme Court.

The Annual General Body meeting of the BCCI which also includes the election of the office bearers will be held in accordance with the directions and timelines as stipulated by the Honorable Supreme Court.

19.25 IST: The BCCI respects Supreme Court’s order, says BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla

“Whatever Supreme Court has said, we respect that and abide by that. The experts in BCCI will study the verdict and then react on it.”

17.22 IST: Happy that Srinivasan is out, says former BCCI chief and MCA president Sharad Pawar

“Happy that Srinivasan is out. We will sit together and take corrective measures with Shashank Manohar or anybody who is interested. The regular measures will continue. We are interested to improve the administrative setup of cricket. Anybody can go to court if something goes wrong.

There is no opposition to BCCI coming under RTI from my side. There was a need to stop what was happening and this judgement will give us the power to do that.”

16.54 IST: Srinivasan knew all along that Rule 6.2.4 is unsustainable & illegal, says Lalit Modi

https://twitter.com/LalitKModi/status/558216656397144067

https://twitter.com/LalitKModi/status/558220811413094400

https://twitter.com/LalitKModi/status/558225238375149568

16.42 IST Srinivasan should honorably quit as ICC chief, says former BCCI chief A.C. Muthiah

“I am very happy about the landmark judgment. I feel vindicated after 6 years of battling in this judgement.”

“Srinivasan should honourably quit as ICC chief. How can he be a member of ICC when he nobody in Indian cricket,” he added

On being asked where did Srinivasan went wrong, Muthiah said, “Once he got all the powers especially after he became the president of the board, he thought nobody can bring him down and he became cocky.”

The proceedings for the day are over.

16.00 IST: Srinivasan refuses to speak to the media

“I will not react to media as of now”

15.57 IST: Committee has six months to decide punishment for CSK and RR

It is not clear whether the teams will be able to play in the 2015 IPL while the committee decides what punishment to inflict.

15.55 IST: BCCI got what it deserved, says former BCCI president IS Bindra

“It pains me but we earned every bit of it. We inflicted this pain on ourselves. We showed a compete lack of goof faith and honest intentions and we are paying the price for that.

“I am very hopeful that with judicial scrutiny things will be better. People will be more careful. Otherwise it was a complete monopoly.”

15.50 IST: Court says BCCI did not follow its own procedures in investigating IPL

BCCI did not adhere to prescribed procedures while conducting probe in IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal: SC.

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 22, 2015

15.45 IST: Court order BCCI to hold elections in six weeks

The board will have to find a new candidate, or candidates for president.

15.40 IST: Srinivasan cannot contest BCCI elections

This is a body blow for Srinivasan. He cannot stand for re-election as BCCI president. But if he is no longer a BCCI official, that could open the door to India Cements continuing to own CSK. But as long as India Cements owns CSK, Srinivasan can’t contest BCCI elections.

15.31 IST: Independent committee to decide fate of CSK and RR

The court acknowledges the BCCI has the power to decide the fate of RR and CSK in light of its findings, but it cannot allow the BCCI to do so in the current context. An independent committee needs to be set up to decide the future of both franchises.

15. Further Action: Amendments to be recommended by the newly appointed Committee on BCCI elections, sports fraud, conflict of interest, etc

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

16. Three Member Committee of formerJudges RM Lodha, Ashok Bhan and RV Ravindran constituted to recommend reforms and amendments by BCCI.

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

15.26 IST: Sundar Raman’s actions should be investigated further

IPL COO Sundar Raman doesn’t escape censure either. The Court wants the allegations that he had contact with a bookie to be probed by an independent body.

14. Power to punish the guilty vests with the BCCI but in the current context it cannot be left to the BCCI. To appoint credible legal minds

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

15.22 IST: The Supreme Court comes down hard on conflict of interest in the BCCI

The Court said there is a “need for institutional integrity that needs to be brought into the game of cricket.” According to the Court, no administrator should have commercial interest in cricket in any form.

9. Conflict of interest is not only possible but ominous looming large. Can BCCI afford to lose its credibility because of sporting frauds?

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

10. Whatever be the format or commercial angles game is a game only if it is pristine and free from any sporting fraud. #BCCIJudgment

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

15.15 IST: Supreme Court scraps amendment 6.2.4

Srinivasan can no longer own CSK and be BCCI president. He has to choose one or the other. This is a HUGE development for cricket in India and a HUGE setback for Srinivasan.

8. If the purity of the game is undermined then the essence of the game will be lost. Rule 6.2.4 is unsustainable and illegal. #BCCIJudgment

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

The tipping point appears to the be the compensation paid to CSK when the Champions League was called off in 2008. the

15.10 IST: The argument that Srinivasan holds a miniscule share in India Cements is misleading

The Court pointed out that Srinivasan’s family directly or indirectly holds a much larger share.

15.05 IST: Court upholds BCCI amendment allowing Srinivasan to buy CSK

The Supreme Court has concluded there was nothing improper about the BCCI’s amendment to Rule 6.2.4 that allows a BCCI official to hold a commercial interest in the IPL and Champions League.

However, the Court upholds the allegation that the amendment created a conflict of interest.

5. Amendment to Rule 6.2.4 is not bad in law as at best it only suffers from procedural lapses. #BCCIJudgment

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

6. No 1 can be judge in his own cause. Principles of natural justice is sacrosanct. No rule can permit a conflict of interest. #BCCIJudgment

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

15.00 IST: Allegations of cover-up against Srinivasan not proved

The court has held that there was no evidence to show Srinivasan had attempted to cover up any of the allegations made against Gurunath Meiyappan. There is only a case of suspicion, at best, the Court said.

14.55 IST: Mudgal Committee gave Raj Kundra a fair hearing

SC says Mudgal gave Kundra the opportunity to present his side of the case so there is no question of Kundra claiming he did not get a fair hearing.

14.45 IST: Gurunath was involved in betting, says Supreme Court

The Court has concluded Raj Kundra and Gurunath Meiyappan were team officials and that Gurunath did bet on IPL matches. The question now becomes what, if anything, happens to CSK because of Gurunath’s actions?

3. Illegalities or Sports Fraud committed by Team Officials also have a bearing on Franchisees under the IPL Governing Rules. #BCCIJudgment

— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) January 22, 2015

14.40 IST: Court says BCCI amenable to judicial review

The Supreme Court has said the BCCI conducts public functions and is therefore subject to judicial review. It cannot hide behind the argument that it is a private body.

14.35 IST: Justices have begun reading their order

According to Times Now, the order runs to 130 pages. We will have details of it as soon as they become public.

14.00 IST: The judgement has been deferred till 14.30 IST

22 January

11.30 IST: The court will pass the order in the case and the proceedings are expected to start at 14.00 IST.

https://twitter.com/TheGoanPatiala/status/558143455437017088

9.00 IST: SC to give final verdict on CSK, Srinivasan today

The Supreme Court will pronounce today its judgement on various issues including the conflict of interest involving BCCI president-in-exile N Srinivasan in the wake of alleged betting and spot fixing scam of IPL 6 in 2013.

A Bench of Justices T S Thakur and F M I Kalifulla on December 17 last had reserved its verdict on the matter in which several interim directions since August 2013 were passed including the setting up of the three-member committee headed Justice Mukul Mudgal, former chief justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Srinivasan, his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, Rajasthan Royals owner Raj Kundra, cricket administrator Sundararaman, were probed by the Justice Mudgal committee which had found “some misdemeanour by certain persons” and indicted them in the IPL 6 scam.

The conflict of interest concerning Srinivasan has come under the scrutiny as he was not only the BCCI president but was also the Managing Director of India Cements, the company which owned the IPL team Chennai Super Kings in which his son-in-law, according to the Mudgal Committee, was an official and was allegedly involved in the betting.

During the pendency of the matter, Srinivasan was asked by the apex court to keep himself away from the affairs of the IPL.

When the final report of the Justice Mudgal Committee was opened, the apex court had said the identity of the players should not not be made public at this stage.

The court did not give details of the indictment or the misdemeanour or the persons who committed it.

The 35-page report referred to the players with numbers as whose key to their identity is in a separate report.

PTI

End of updates for 17th December.

17 December

1.25 pm: Deep rooted conflict of interest has dented the game, says Supreme Court

The court has not taken the BCCI’s list kindly. The board even went so far as to claim that commentators could have a commercial interest in a match, according to the Indian Express. The Court wondered what commercial interest commentators could possibly have in a game.

The Supreme Court also came down hard on Srikkanth’s tenure with CSK while he was chief of selectors.

Arguments have now concluded and so has today’s hearing. The Supreme Court has reserved its order. Hoeever, there is no indication when they might issue a ruling. The court goes on holiday for two weeks at the end of this week. They could issue a ruling tomorrow or we could have to wait until the new year.

Update: Headlines Today reporting that an order is expected in January.

12.00 pm: Supreme Court criticises Srikkanth after BCCI submits list of administrators and players with commercial interest in cricket

Reports coming in that as instructed by the Supreme Court, the BCCI submitted a list of those who have commercial interest in cricket. The list included the names of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and former chief of selectors, K Srikkanth.

#BCCI to SC: Sunil Gavaskar, Sourav Ganguly, Ravi Shastri and Kris Srikanth will suffer if amendment is stuck down (Times Now)

— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) December 17, 2014

Srikkanth was the brand ambassador for CSK while heading the selection committee. The court did not take kindly to this disclosure. It wanted to know how a selector could have a post in an IPL team and called it a clear conflict of interest.

End of updates for 16 December

4.10 pm: Supreme Court asks for list of BCCI officials having commercial interests in cricket

The Supreme Court has asked for a full list of BCCI officials having commercial interests in cricket — and said that “heavens won’t fall” if BCCI officials do not own teams. (via @ETNowlive )

1.20 pm: Mudgal hearing to resume at 2 pm today

The Supreme Court continued too press the conflict of interest issue with Srinivasan and the BCCI in yesterday’s hearing. The two-judge bench decided to examine the controversial amendment in the BCCI rules which enables office bearers to own teams in the IPL and Champions League amidst raging debate over conflict of interest issue.

The apex court termed the issue of conflict of interest “relevant” and decided to scrutinse the controversial amendments amidst blame game by top cricket administrator, N Srinivasan and I S Bindra over its introduction in the BCCI rules.

“BCCI has to defend the amendment,” Justices TS Thakur and FMI Kalifulla said.

The BCCI is expected to do just that in today’s hearing.

End of updates for 15 December

4.30 pm: SC to check validity of BCCI clause 6.2.4

Aditya Verma has said that the SC will check the validity of the controversial BCCI clause which allowed N Srinivasan to buy IPL team Chennai Super Kings.

He also said that all those who were pulled up have been trying to mislead the Supreme Court to save one man - Srinivasan.

4 pm: IPL COO Sundar Raman pulled up

Headlines Today is reporting that the Supreme Court has questioned IPL COO Sundar Raman. The bench asked him if he knew officials were betting — then why he didn’t do anything about it. His constant contact with Vindoo Dara Singh has also been questioned.

‘Was it for you like putting your job at stake?’ the SC asked him.

The SC also said that Raman should have risen above the interests of protecting others.

Raman has said that ICC ACSU Head YP Singh’s claims lacked evidence.

12.25 pm: Mudgal hearing to resume at 2 pm today.

On December 10 BCCI president in-exile N Srinivasan submitted before the Supreme Court that he will keep away from all matters and running of IPL while pleading it to allow him contest the Cricket Board election.

Appearing before a bench headed by Justice TS Thakur, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said that his client Srinivasan is giving an undertaking that he will keep himself disassociated with the IPL matters till he is given a clean chit by a proposed high powered panel.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), however, opposed setting up of the high powered committee to look into the matter regarding Srinivasan’s conflict of interest and punishment to be meted out on the basis of Mudgal committee report.

End of updates for 10 December

4.40 pm: Raj Kundra challenges the findings of the Mudgal reprot

Kundra, the co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals, is claiming the findings of the report go against the principles of natural justice, says CNN-IBN.

4.15 pm: BCCI postpones elections

The elections were scheduled for 17 December and have already been postponed twice. Now CNN-IBN reports that since the case won’t be completely by the 17th, the board asked the Supreme Court for permission to postpone them further.

According to NDTV, the elections will now take place at the end of January.

The Supreme Court said yes. It has also scheduled the next hearing for Monday, 15 December.

3.23 pm: Don’t penalise CSK for the actions of one individual, says India Cements

The company told the court it has 3000 employees and can’t be expected to police them all.

3.12 pm: Should not have surrounded yourself with people who bet, SC tells Meiyappan

They also told him even Srinivasan and CSK have accepted he was a team official.

The Supreme Court appears to be putting all those involved in this sordid mess through their paces.

2.50 pm: Don’t prejudice my trial, Gurunath Meiyappan telpuls Supreme Court

Gurunath Meiyappan has refused to state whether he was or was not a CSK team official. He absolutely has a right to do so. No person can be forced to implicate himself or herself. He has a right to silence.

1:40 pm: Gurunath was betting in his personal capacity, claims India Cements

If you bet from home, you are doing it as an individual. If you bet from the stadium as an official, only then are you doing it in your official capacity. This seems to be the crux of India’s Cement’s argument.

Never mind that IPL rules forbid a team official but betting in toto and that Gurunath is still privy to inside information while sitting at home.

1.10 pm: Gurunath Meiyappan did not best from the venue, says India Cements

Times Now reporting that India Cements has told the court Meiyappan was not betting from the cricket stadium during matches. Unfortunately, the channel has not provided any context for the statement.

SC responds by asking, “does it matter where he bet from? Betting is betting.”

1.00 pm: Probe must be as per BCCI rules

According to Times Now, the BCCI’s lawyers have cited case law showing why it is necessary to preserve their autonomy. It is okay with a Supreme court-appointed probe panel but the panel must follow BCCI rules.

The BCCI’s lawyers have finished making their arguments. India Cements get their chance next.

12.25 pm: Why have you not acted, SC asks BCCI?

For many months the case has been debated in court but the BCCI has taken no action, the court points out. If fans believe the game is fake, that could cause cricket to collapse.

CNN-IBN is reporting that the BCCI has acquiesced to the idea of a high-powered committee that would look into the conflict of interest issue and how to resolve it.

It is unclear whether the BCCI agreed to respect and implement the conclusions of any such panel

12.10 pm: Proposed panel will only make BCCI function more effectively

The two-judge bench responds to the BCCI’s claim that its autonomy should not be compromised.

12:00 pm: Our autonomy is at stake if an outside committee evaluates how we function: BCCI tells SC

The BCCI’s lawyers now making their case after Sibal has made Srinivasan’s case.

The board does not want outsiders poking around. The Supreme Court has reassured it that the committee will be made up of BCCI members, but ones appointed by the Supreme Court and not the BCCI.

The BCCI has also said any committee can give recommendations but they won’t be binding.

The board and Srinivasan are trying to tie up the case in a neat little bow. Appoint a panel to investigate but we don’t have to listen to anything it says once it is done.

11.50 am: Srinivasan wants a new high-powered probe

This is turning into the probe that n ever ends. Srinivasan wants a new panel to look in to the matters of conflict of interest. It is after that panel clears him that he will assume his full set of responsibilities as BCCI president. Until that point, he will not attend IPL governing council meetings of working committee meetings.

How the BCCI is supposed to function if the president does not attend meetings is anyone’s guess.

11.25 am: Srinivasan offers to stay away from IPL meetings

N Srinivasan has given an undertaking to the Supreme Court that he will stay away from all IPL related meetings if he is allowed to contest the elections for BCCI president, which he is guaranteed to win as he is the only nominee. Also, he will stay away from meetings only until his name has been cleared.

Yesterday, the court observed that Srinivasan should choose between owning CSK and being BCCI president. Srinivasan’s undertaking appears to be an effort to convince the court that he should not have to do so.

End of updates from 9 December

4.15 pm: As long as Srinivasan is there, BCCI won’t change: Aditya Verma

Under the Srinivasan raj, nothing will change, says petitioner Aditya Verma. He also reiterated that the Mudgal committee report should be made public so a full and free debate about its findings can be had.

4.10 pm: Hearing adjourned until 10:30 am on Wednesday

The Supreme Court did not pass an order today, as many people had expected. Perhaps tomorrow a road out of this impasse will be found.

3.50 pm: There is no basis to indict me, Srinivasan tells Supreme Court

Headlines Today is reporting that Kapil Sibal has replied to the court by stating there is no basis to indict Srinivasan as he has not been found guilty of anything. Therefore he cannot be prevented from contesting the BCCI’s elections. Sibal has also argued that Srinivasan has done a lot for cricket over the years and there have been no question marks over his being president up until this point.

Srinivasan also wants details of the cover-up that he has alleged to have perpetrated.

3.45 pm: What will Srinivasan decide?

There is no word yet on the reaction from the BCCI or Srinivasan to the court’s latest observation. If the SC wishes to drive this choice home, it could give Srinivasan a day or two to think it over and return with a proposal. That would be in keeping with how the court has functioned so far.

3.15 pm: Supreme Court tells Srinivasan to choose between CSK and BCCI

Times Now is reporting that SC has given Srinivasan a choice of owning CSK or being president of BCCI. If he wants to stand for election, then his investment in CSK will be endangered.

What is more important to Mr. Srinivasan, the presidency or his team?, the court has asked.

But this is still an oral observation, not an order. They have told Srinivasan what they expect him to do. It remains to be seen if that becomes a reality. Just to remind everyone, the BCCI AGM is currently scheduled for 17 December.

There is also the issue of punishment for CSK. That hasn’t been determined yet.

2.55 pm: Supreme Court rejects Srinivasan and BCCI’s options

According to Times Now, The Supreme Court has rejected all of the options put forward by the BCCI and Srinivasan. The court has said it has to be an independent body that decides on the punishment for CSK and Meiyappan.

At present, the final outcome of these hearings is unclear. The BCCI has shown no inclination to act on its own accord and the court is clearly reluctant to pass an explicit order.

13.10 pm: Supreme Court objects to Srinivasan heading TNCA meetings

According to PTI, the Supreme Court objected to N.Srinivasan attending Tamil Nadu cricket association meetings despite stepping aside as cricket administrator. The court told Srinivasan that he was supposed to stay away but instead he found a different route to stay involved in the BCCI.

“You stepped aside but came through the back door,” the court said. “You could not take decisions but you attended meetings.”

Srinivasan (through his lawyers, he is not in court) admitted that he should not have attended the meetings and apologised.

This is a new twist because all along both Srinivasan and the BCCI have held that as TNCA president, Srinivasan could keep attending BCCI meetings.

It remains to be seen if the court will make more of this in the afternoon session. One effect it could have is to give the court less confidence that he will stick to her word of “staying away” from any investigation into Meiyappan’s actions.

Then again, it could mean nothing at all.

11.50 pm: BCCI gives Supreme Court four options

According to NDTV, these are the four options the BCCI has presented to the Supreme Court. The court would prefer the board to act without an express order because it does not want to “short-circuit the board’s machinery”.

Option 1: Srinivasan can step aside and disciplinary committee can decide punishment

Option 2: IPL governing council can decide what to do

Option 3: Two independent judges can be appointed.

Option 4: The Mudgal Committee can decide punishment.

The hearing will now resume at 2 pm.

11.40 pm: SC gives BCCI until 2 pm to come up options to solve the Meiyappan and CSK situation

the Supreme Court has told the BCCI it has to provide the court with options for how it will deal with this situation. The board will have until 2 pm to come up with them. If the Supreme Court does not find those options satisfactory, it could pass its own order and force the BCCI to act.

Remember, the BCCI has postponed its AGM twice so that Srinivasan has the best chance to stand for re-election.

11.30 am: Best option is to reconstitute BCCI, says SC

This is not what the BCCI and Srinivasan will want to hear. According to Headlines Today, the Court has told the BCCI that reorganising the board without Srinivasan might be the best option given the conflicts of interest that run right through it.

No other TV channel is reporting this news at the moment though.

11.20 am: BCCI rules amended to benefit Srinivasan

Headlines Today is reporting that Court has told the BCCI its rules were amended to suit its president and its vice-president. The court’s comments were in response responding to arguments made by Kapil Sibal, who is representing Srinivasan, that whatever the board has done is within its rules.

The Supreme Court has also asked what are the chances of actions against Gurunath Meiyappan if Srinivasan is president. “We want immediate action against Meiyappan,” the court said.

Srinivasan has reportedly told the court he will stay away from any investigation in to Meiyappan’s actions. This is beginning to sound like a broken record. We have been here before and Srinivasan has said this before.

End of updates for 8 December

4.15 pm It will be better for Indian cricket if Srinivasan is out of sports: Aditya Verma

“Just because of one person of conflict of interest, so many bad things have come in the public domain and the entire world is laughing at our BCCI,” Verma told the press after today’s court hearing.

He also said he was very happy that the court had accepted his affidavit that shows how Srini and CSK were paid after the Champions League was cancelled in 2008. Apparently, the BCCI has disputed it.

3.50 pm: Case to continue at 10:30 am tomorrow

That is it for the day. The Supreme Court has set aside the entire day to hear the case tomorrow. We might even get an order (or interim order) at the end of proceedings.

So far the court has taken a jaundiced view of Srinivasan’s twin hats. But whether they think there are legal grounds to pass an order against his continuing to be both BCCI president and CSK owner remains to be seen.

3.45 pm: How can Srinivasan decide the punishment for CSK?

In response to the BCCI’s request that the board decide how to punish the two franchises whose officials have been found guilty of betting, the court asked the BCCI how Srinivasan could decide on an appropriate punishment for the team that he owns?

3.10 IST: We should decide punishment for CSK and RR

The board’s lawyers have argued that the BCCI should be allowed to decide the penalties for CSK and RR, and the court should not pass orders in that regard.

3.00 pm IST: Very difficult to accept there is no conflict of interest, says SC

The first bits of information are tricking out of the court. The bench has reportedly told the BCCI and Srinivasan that is very difficult to accept their is no conflict of interest when the president of the BCCI also owns an IPL team. Purity of cricket has to be maintained and all persons at the helm of its affairs should be above suspicion, the court said. Even the likelihood of conflict of interest should be avoided.

“The administrators should keep themselves aloof.”

10.15 am IST In the last hearing on December 1, the Supreme Court put the onus on BCCI President-in-exile N Srinivasan to prove that there was no conflict of interest involving him that came in the way of a probe into the IPL-6 scam and took strong exception to his counsel “repeatedly” naming Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the proceedings.

The hearing will resume today. The court has set aside two full days to hear the case and the petitioner - Aditya Verma - was hopeful that an order may be passed also.

End of updates for 1 December

4.14 pm: BCCI has given the court doctored documents, says Aditya Verma

Verma, the secretary of the Cricket Association of Bihar, which is the plaintiff in the case, told the media after today’s hearings that all the documentation the BCCI submitted to the court today has been manufactured.

He also said next Monday (December 8) he would press for the full Mudgal Committee report to be made public. The Court has said it will devote the entire day of the 8th and the 9th to hearing the case.

4.12 pm: The case has been adjourned to 8 December

The case will now overlap with the India-Australia Test series.

4.00 pm: Others also have multiple roles, Srinivasan told SC

The Mumbai Mirror report was correct. Headlines Today reports that Srinivasan’s lawyers pointed out that many individuals such as Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and others have multiple roles in the IPL and BCCI and that’s how things work in cricket.

3.45 pm: I asked Sharad Pawar before I bid for CSK, Srinivasan tells SC

N Srinivasan has told the SC that he asked then BCCI president Sharad Pawar for his opinion before he bid for Chennai Super Kings. It was under Pawar’s leadership that the BCCI constitution was retrospectively changed to allow Srinivasan to buy the team.

3.30 pm: Srinivasan tells the court all accusations against him are baseless

CNN-IBN reports that N Srinivasan’s lawyers told the Supreme Court that all the claims of a cover-up against him are incorrect. Apparently Kapil Sibal, counsel for Srinivasan, dropped Arun Jaitley’s name a few times in court, something the justices did not appreciate. They told Sibal to cut it out.

The SC also reportedly criticised the BCCI for not intially setting up a commission to investigate corruption in the IPL. In reply, Srinivasan claimed to have acted immediately when betting allegations were made against Gurunath Meiyappan, his son-in-law, as well as Raj Kundra, one of the co-owners of the Rajasthan Royals.

What Srinivasan appears not to have mentioned is that the BCCI probe was subsequently scrapped by the Bombay High Court because it was hardly a probe at all. For one thing, tt did not gather evidence from either the Mumbai police or the Delhi police. For another, only the BCCI could submit evidence to the two-judge panel, effectively preventing anyone from sending information that would prove Meiyappan was a CSK official.

3.15 pm: SC asks BCCI for IPL’s business model

Not much has come of out today’s hearing so far. CNN-IBN is reporting that the Supreme Court has asked the BCCI to explain the business model for the IPL. The context for this question is not clear at this point.

In other news, at a press conference in Chennai to announce MRF as a global partner for the ICC World Cup, Srinivasan said he does not agree that Indian cricket is going through a bad phase, denied (again) the IPL spot fixing scam has affected the game, and stated that MS Dhoni had no reason to resign as Vice-President of India Cements despite the Supreme Court saying Dhoni’s position was of a grave concern.

1.00 pm: Will the Supreme bar Srinivasan from BCCI elections, scrap CSK?

The Mudgal Report hearings will continue today and are scheduled to begin at 2 pm. The BCCI should get its chance to respond to the sharp observations made by the Supreme Court last week. The Court has asked for the shareholding pattern of India Cements and suggested that terminating Chennai Super Kings would be the easiest course of action.

According to a report in the Mumbai Mirror, Srinivasan is going to defend himself by claiming that if the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly can hold positions in the BCCI and the IPL, then why can’t Srinivasan?

“Srinivasan will link his dual role in the BCCI and Indian Premier League (IPL) with that of the former India stalwarts who were, it is pointed out, held posts in the BCCI and the IPL at various stages simultaneously.

‘“They being part of both BCCI and IPL cannot be construed as a conflict of interest. If so, then that is the reality of the IPL which is a commercial arm of the BCCI,’ a lawyer, representing Srinivasan, said.”

If Srinivasan were to use that line or argument, it ignores the fact that he is in a position of power in the BCCI and is the final authority on all decisions, which the other’s are most certainly not.

It also suggests that the IPL’s cozy club needs to be broken up and could backfire on Srinivasan.

End of updates for 27 Novemeber

3.22 pm: The BCCI is an organisation united in corruption: Kirti Azad

Kirti Azad, the former India cricketer and current BJP member of Parliament, has slammed the BCCI for being a corrupt body.

“The honourable Supreme Court said it is a mutual beneficial corruption. I have said it is an organisation united in corruption.”

BCCI is above the law of the land. You have people from the opposition and people from the ruling [party>. It is not only Srinivasan who has a conflict of interest. So many have conflict of interest. Yet nothing has been done against them.

3.10 pm: Heading adjourned to 1 December

The Supreme Court has concluded its hearings for the day. They will resume on Monday, 1 December.

Aditya Verma, the petitioner in the case, wants Srinivasan to be removed from the BCCI. He said the Court has also said it wants to know what MS Dhoni’s role is in CSK. According to him, the BCCI will get a chance to respond to the Court’s observations on Monday, when the case next comes up for hearing.

Verma also wants to now how the BCCI is spending money and approving accounts if Srinivasan has remained away from the board during his suspension.

2.00 pm: We allowed Srinivasan to buy CSK, admits Lalit Modi

We had back-dated those documents in 2008 to before the AGM. It was after the IPL has begun in 2008. We hadn’t looked in to this. But he [Srinivasan> had thought through this and knew how he was going to take over world cricket.

Yes, we allowed it to happen. And wrongfully so. And I have been trying to correct it over the last five years.

1.55 pm: All BCCI officials are also guilty: Lalit Modi

Lalit Modi: Giving subsidies of 50 to 60 and 70 crores to state associations. That is the problem. I have asked the Income Tax authorities to look at how this money is being spent. Rs 1600 to rent a chair. Most of them are just into siphoning of money.

1.50 pm: We made a mistake allowing Srinivasan to buy a team: Lalit Modi

Lalit Modi to Times Now: Everybody named in the Mudgal report should not be part of cricket going forward. I think that is the right thing. There is no reason for another report to be done. Implementation is the order of the day.

This is a great day for cricket fans around the world.

Keep in mind, we made mistakes. The minute we realised conflict of interest was becoming an issue, we tried to do away with it. In 2009. We did not expect that this would become such an issue. We thought we would look into all the future problems and correct them going forward.

When I started to voice these issues, they removed me and were happy to remove me. We could not foresee issues five years in the future.

The point is you correct it and move on. Nobody predicted a league of his standard. Nobody predicted the tournament would get so big. In my time, we would correct it and move on.

Certain things didn’t work. You correct it and move on.

1.40 pm: Lalit Modi wants a Court Order

5/3 .. Only a directive of the Honorable Supreme Court can save the Game loved and worshipped by a billion people. It's been a long hard war

— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) November 27, 2014

1.30 pm: Srinivasan reportedly huddled with his lawyers

Times Now reports that suspended BCCI president N Srinivasan is in consultation with his lawyers after the Supreme Court’s observations today. He is also in touch with other BCCI board members to figure out how to react to this latest development.

For a long time, Srinivasan has insisted that he is not the owner of Chennai Super Kings, India Cements is the owner. The Court’s decision to ask for the shareholding pattern of India Cements will put the matter to the test. Srinivasan and his family own 28.23 percent of India Cements, according to the Bombay Stock Exchange website (Promoter and Promoter Group). That is a minority stake, as Srinivasan says, but it is also a controlling stake.

On his own, Srinivasan holds 0.14 percent of the shares, or 427,400 shares but he is also the Director of the three investment companies Prince Holdings, Anna Investment and EWS Finance and Investments, which bought out Sanmar Groups holding in 2006 and hold 21.54 percent (combined) in India Cements.

12.50 pm: SC questions role of dual role of CSK captain

The Supreme Court also questioned the role of CSK captain who is also vice president of N Srinivasan’s India Cements. “Dual role of CSK captain as employee of India Cements is a matter of grave concern,” Times Now reported quoting the bench.

The counsel for Cricket Association of Bihar, in its petition, had questioned the dual role the Chennai Super Kings captain.

12.40 pm: Setup external committee to punish guilty, BCCI tells SC

Meanwhile, the BCCI has submitted to the bench that an external commission be set up to hand out punishment to those persons found guilty in the Mudgal committee report.

12.00 pm: End of road for N Srinivasan?

In what could well be the end of N Srinivasan’s tenure in the BCCI, the Supreme Court today reportedly observed that those who are under investigation should be kept away from elections in the BCCI, indicative of a conflict of interest involving Srinivasan, reports Times Now. Srinivasan is currently suspended president of BCCI and ICC chief.

Headlines Today reports, quoting the SC bench, that it was time the BCCI reconstitutes its body and prepare for fresh polls.

The elections to BCCI, which were to be held in September have now been postponed indefinitely.

11.45 am: Disqualify CSK from IPL, no further probe needed, says SC

The Supreme Court of India today observed that the Chennai Super Kings should be disqualified without any further probe by the Mudgal Committee, news channels quoted the bench as saying this morning.

“Who is controlling Chennai Super Kings?” the bench asked, directing that India Cements chief N Srinivasan declare before it all shareholding patterns in the company as well as the sport franchise.

“Why didn’t the BCCI disqualify CSK? How can you say there is no comflict of interest?” the apex court asked.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had said that N Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan’s role in IPL betting and spot-fixing scandal seemed like “insider trading” and agreed to hear a plea for making public the names of cricketers, who were mentioned in the Justice Mudgal Committee report.

Updates for 25 November end

4.20 pm: No decision on Srinivasan, Hearing adjourned to Thursday

Arguments in the case will continue the day after tomorrow.

According to NDTV, the lawyers for Amit Verma wanted the entire report to be made public. The BCCI naturally objected to making anything public.

The Supreme Court said the players names should not be divulged at this stage.

According to Freddie Wilde on Twitter, the petitioner gave evidence of Srinivasan’s cover-up of Gurunath Meiyappan’s role as a CSK office but the judges made no observations on this matter.

12.00 pm: Ultimately orders matter, not observations

Unless the Supreme Court expressly disqualifies Srinivasan from owning an IPL team as BCCI president, it would be naive to expect him or the BCCI to change the status quo. The Court’s observations are, of course, welcome but it is their orders that will make all the difference, writes Tariq Engineer. Click here for the full article.

End of updates for 24 November

5.30 pm: Lalit Modi claims he’s bank-rolling case against the Srinivasan and co

In a startling revelation, former IPL chairman admitted he was financing the petitioner Aditya Verma’s case against N Srinivasan and others.

“I am financing the petition against Srinivasan and others [helping petitioner Verma>. There’s no harm in backing anybody who helps me. BCCI wants to sweep everything under the carpet. I am happy to be banned. I don’t have to sit on the same table with the crooks,” IBNLive quoted him as saying.

4.32 pm: Cancel CSK and RR, says Lalit Modi

Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi today took to Twitter demanding that both CSK and RR should be cancelled and IPL COO Sunder Raman be ’locked up’.

“Csk and RR must be cancelled. If owners indulge in betting activity the rule book must be thrown at them. Raman should be locked up too,” he tweeted as details of the SC proceeding were revealed through the day.

I agree conflict of interest must go. Further the guilty must be punished and made example off can't sweep it under the carpet.

— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) November 24, 2014

Csk and RR must be cancelled. If owners indulge in betting activity the rule book must be thrown at them. Raman should be locked up too

— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) November 24, 2014

All bcci members who prematurely voted in favor of Srini and gang must be disallowed or banned to participate in cricket activity

— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) November 24, 2014

4.00 pm: Supreme Court contradicts Srinivasan

According to NDTV, the court told Srinivasan: “You are only assuming you have been given a clean chit.”

The hearing has been adjourned until tomorrow.

3.36 pm: BCCI tells Supreme Court not to make the report public

Apparently, this is because it will affect the careers of the cricketers who have been named in the report.

The board also told the court the IPL is a separate governing body from the BCCI, which is a falsehood since after Lalit Modi’s expulsion, the court turned the IPL governing council into one of its sub-committees. It is even listed on the BCCI website as a “BCCI committee”

According to Headlines Today, the Supreme Court did not swallowed the falsehood. It replied by saying the IPL and the BCCI cannot be separated.

Lalit Modi is naturally happy with today’s proceedings:

All bcci members who prematurely voted in favor of Srini and gang must be disallowed or banned to participate in cricket activity

— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) November 24, 2014

3.16 pm: Who will watch the game if it is fixed?

The Supreme Court seems to be taken a very dim view of the BCCI and the way it operates. It wants to know who will come to the game if the fans know it is all fixed. The question is whether they will follow up these harsh observations with equally strong orders. That will, of course, depend on the evidence at hand.

The one thing we know for sure is that Srinivasan continues to deny that Gurunath Meiyappan had anything to do with Chennai Super Kings. Since the Supreme Court has accepted the Mudgal Committee’s conclusion that Meiyappan was a team official, if not the owner, that means Srinivasan, and India captain MS Dhoni, gave false evidence to the committee.

3.10: BCCI tells court India Cements owns team, not Srinivasan

The board has trotted out its usual defence of Srinivasan’s situation, saying the company India Cements owns the team and not Srinivasan in his individual capacity. This is, of course, a fig leaf. Srinivasan is the managing director of the company and effectively runs Chennai Super Kings, which is a subsidiary of India Cements.

The BCCI has also asked the Srinivasan be reinstated as president as there is nothing against him.

3.05 pm: BCCI assures criminal action against those found guilty?

The Supreme Court asked the BCCI if it would only take administrative action against those found guilty. The board’s lawyers have reportedly said they will ensure criminal action will be taken as well, though how they can ensure that is anybody’s guess, especially if those guilty have not broken any laws, just BCCI rules and regulations.

2.55 pm: Srinivasan needs to address conflict of interest

The Court has taken notice of Srinivasan’s twin roles as BCCI president and owner of an IPL team:

You will have to address question of conflict of interest as head of BCCI and also as owner of IPL team, whose official is found to be invol

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2014

The board told the court it accepts the Mudgal Committee report “as gospel” despite Srinivasan refuting key parts of the reports conclusions. The court then told the BCCI it couldn’t depend on the board’s assurance as it still wanted Srinivasan to be president.

The SC also told Srinivsan: “An employee of your team was involved in betting, you have to reply.”

2.50 pm: IPL is a mutually beneficial society between IPL and BCCI, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has made some fairly strong critical observations of the BCCI and the IPL.

Cricket must be played in its true spirit and should remain a gentleman’s game, the court said, according to PTI. “If you allow these things [IPL spot fixing scandal> to happen, then you are killing the game of cricket.”

The court also said the benefit of doubt should go in favour of the game rather than any individual,

2.10 pm: Raj Kundra wants to place his Rajasthan Royals stake with the Supreme Court

Headlines Today reports that in a statement, Kundra has said he is innocent and that the allegations have caused him great reputational damage and much pain to his family. In order to safeguard the Rajasthan Royals, he has offered the court is 11.7 percent stake in the team.

However, Kundra says his offer should not be taken as an admission of guilt.

Srinivasan wants to be reinstated as BCCI president

ICC chairman N. Srinivasan on Friday requested the Supreme Court that he may be restored to his position as Indian cricket board chief and be allowed to function as the Mudgal Committee, that probed allegations of match fixing and betting in the 2013 edition of IPL, has cleared him of all charges levelled against him.

Seeking to be discharged of his undertaking that he would not perform any functions as Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and resume office as its president, Srinivasan in his response to the Mudgal Committee report pointed out that he has not been found to be involved in any betting and match fixing activities or scuttling of investigations.

“There is absolutely no reason for me to continue to stay away from my elected position in BCCI. I have already lost close to a whole year of my elected term on the basis of wholly false and motivated charges. I pray that this Hon’ble Court, therefore, discharge me from my undertaking and allow me to resume my office as president,” Srinivasan said in his response to the court.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Srinivasan had March 28 given an undertaking before the apex court that he would not discharge his duties as BCCI president till the completion of investigation into the allegations of spot fixing, betting and other charges.

Srinivasan said this in his objections to the Mudgal Committee report on which he was issued notice Nov 17. The committee, in its report, has said that Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was involved in betting though it exonerated him of spot fixing charges.

Referring to the conclusions of the Mudgal Committee report, Srinivasan said: “I believe the conclusions in the report that I was not involved in any betting or match fixing activity nor did I scuttle any investigation clearly vindicate my stand that all the allegations made against me by the petitioner (Cricket Association of Bihar) and other persons inimical to me were completely false, baseless and motivated out of malice.”

However, Srinivasan sought to brush aside as “minor incident” a conclusion in Mudgal report which said that he did not act against a player who was involved in the violation of the Players’ Code of Conduct.

Srinivasan said that when the allegation of violation of the code of conduct by a player came to light it was not he but Shashank Manohar who was BCCI president. He said that at that time he was the secretary of the body.

“I may add that the incident explained by Shri Ranjib Biswal (president of the Odisha Cricket Association who was the manager of the Indian cricket team when the incident involving the player took place) involving the supposed individual 3 was not in relation to IPL. Further, it was not in relation to any corrupt activity, betting, gambling, fixing of matches etc. but a minor incident,” Srinivasan said in his response.

Differing with the Mudgal Committee report that no action was taken against the said player, Srinivasan, recounting the sequence of steps leading to the said player being administered “warning”, said in his response: “Therefore, it is not correct to say that no action was taken by me and four other Board officials. Apparently, the then President, BCCI had dealt with the issue directly and I cannot be attributed with any inaction.”

IANS