BCCI president Shashank Manohar said the governing council has asked Lalit Modi to reply to the charges in 15 days.
Accusing Lalit Modi of serious financial irregularities while running the IPL, the BCCI today levelled five charges against him, including question marks over the initial bids of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab and bid-rigging of two new franchises.
Addressing a press conference after an emergency meeting of the IPL governing council here, BCCI president Shashank Manohar said the GC has asked Modi to reply to the charges in 15 days.
"The charges basically are with regards to the initial bids of Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab. And the second allegation is in regards to the broadcasting deal," Manohar said.
"The third allegation is with regards to the bid-rigging of the two new franchisees. The fourth allegation is with regards to the internet rights. The fifth is with regards to the behavioural pattern of Modi," Manohar said.
The BCCI chief said that as far as the charge that a facilitation fee was paid for the broadcast deal, the board did not have any related document as it was a matter between a Singapore-based firm and another company in Mauritius.
"For example, there is an allegation that a facilitation fee was paid. But the Board does not have the document. Now this deal happened between MSM (Multi Screen Media), Singapore and WSG (World Sports Group), Mauritius," Manohar said.
"So there is no reason why this document would be present with the Board. Since I don't have this document with me, I don't see any reason why we should be aware of this," the BCCI chief explained.
He said the Board was not aware whether any "benami" funds were parked with Rajasthan Royals franchise as it did not have the machinery to find out the source of the funds.
"Now, if you take Rajasthan Royals -- people are saying there is benami funding in the franchise. So if the funds are coming from Mauritius or if the funds are coming from Virgin Islands, I do not have any machinery to find out where the funds are coming from. So I cannot see whose funds are coming from where," he said.
"Now Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate are investigating these matters and when they gave us the notice, only then we became aware of it," he added.
Accusing Modi of leaking confidential Board matters, Manohar said this was what was meant by behavioural pattern.
"(It means) Confidential information of the board being leaked to the media. I have always maintained this – the Board functions within the four walls of this building. If you have to leak everything to the media then you might as well hold this meeting at the Oval ground," he said.
"They behaved like their superior," was Manohar's curt reply to a question on what the BCCI's stand was about the behavioural pattern of IPL CEO Sundar Raman.
Sundar Raman allegedly misbehaved with former cricketer Sunil Walson and released on his 'Twitter' page an official communication about Sachin Tendulkar instead of issuing a press release.
Manohar said there are different provisions in the Board's constitution for issuing show cause and suspension.
"There are two provisions: 32 (ii) where you have to appoint a commissioner who prepares a report and based on that report we issue a show cause notice followed by an enquiry. The other one 32 (iv) is specifically for administrators and members where a show cause can be noticed and under 32 (vii) there is a provision to suspend an individual."
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