The office-bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) missed their date with the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Committee here on Wednesday.
The office-bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) missed their date with the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Committee here on Wednesday.
President Jagmohan Dalmiya, secretary Anurag Thakur, joint-secretary Amitabh Chaudhary and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary were to depose before the committee at a south Mumbai hotel on Wednesday, but none turned up. Nor did the five zonal vice-presidents ML Nehru, G Ganga Raju, Gautam Roy, TC Mathew and CK Khanna. Some of these officials are expected to turn up on Thursday.
Gauging the hard-hitting nature of the eight-part questionnaire, which covers every facet of cricket administration including 'Organisation, Structure and Relationship', 'Audit, Accounts and Finances', 'Player Welfare and Dispute Resolution' and 'Conflict of Interest', the committee is under the impression that the BCCI's top bosses are on the "back foot". For the record, the committee sent out the questionnaire earlier this week. So well prepared are Lodha and his colleagues that there is virtually no scope for anyone to beat around the bush. The questions posed by the committee are specific as well as wide-ranging (see box).
The committee, comprising former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha and former Supreme Court judges Ashok Bhan and RV Raveendran, was set up on January 22. It was given the mandate of deciding on the quantum of punishment to be imposed on Gurunath Meiyappan (former Chennai Super Kings team principal) and Raj Kundra (former Rajastan Royals co-owner) for their role in the IPL betting scandal. The panel was also directed to suggest ways and means to clean up the way the game is administered in the country.
And the legal luminaries have been at it for some days now. For the record, they have already met with Meiyappan, Kundra and their respective lawyers. It's just a matter of time before the committee announces its decision on the two former franchise officials.
The committee has also recommended the name of CBI officer Vivek Priyadarshi IPS to help them investigate the charges levelled against IPL chief operating officer Sundar Raman. The retirement of BB Mishra IPS necessitated this.
On Wednesday, the committee heard out former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale, former BCCI treasurer Ajay Shirke, BCCI general manager (game development) Ratnakar Shetty and veteran journalist Makarand Waingankar.
The SC has given the committee six months' time, but given the in-depth nature of the task at hand (read clean-up), don't be surprised if they take another year or so.
TOUGH ASK
Some of the questions posed by the Justice Lodha Committee...
When a player/team official of an IPL team is the employee of the franchisee/owner of another team, does BCCI perceive a conflict of interest? What steps are taken to prevent such situations?
What are the instances of betting and match fixing that have been brought to the notice of BCCI & IPL in the past? What action has been taken in this regard? Specifically, as far as owners/franchisees/players/team officials/board members, has any action been taken?
What are the disqualifications for holding posts within the BCCI, IPL and their constituents? Under what conditions can incumbents be removed, and what procedure is followed for the same?
What is the basis for free tickets/passes being given for games?
Does either the BCCI or the IPL have a whistleblower/immunity policy?
Who negotiates contracts on behalf of the players? Are the players consulted by the Board before team sponsorship and endorsement deals are entered into?
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