The Supreme Court-appointed COA has sought explanation from the board's three office bearers — CK Khanna, Amitabh Choudhary and Anirudh Chaudhry.
The Committee of Administrators (COA) on Thursday has written to office bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asking for reason behind throwing out CEO Rahul Johri from Special General Meeting (SGM) on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court-appointed COA has sought explanation from the board's three office bearers — CK Khanna, Amitabh Choudhary and Anirudh Chaudhry.
The committee claims it is mentioned in its 3rd Status Report, dated April 6, that the CEO will act as its representative in all BCCI meetings.
After talking to many an insiders, DNA has reliably learnt that it was acting secretary Chaudhary who asked Johri to leave the meeting premises along with other employees of BCCI. However, none from the legal team present there (from Amarchand & Mangaldas legal firm hired by BCCI) objected or even tried to convince the members to not do so.
"When a senior member said that SC has only asked office-bearers of the state to attend meeting, Johri and other employees were asked to go. Why is COA asking us (BCCI) and not the legal team which is being paid in crores for their opinion?" asked a senior BCCI official on Thursday.
Johri was appointed during former president Anurag Thakur's tenure and not many were happy about it even then. Son of former state minister and BJP leader Dinesh Johri, Rahul was South Asia head for Discovery Channel.
On his part, Johri has all through ensured that SC orders are being carried out in toto and has also worked as a bridge between COA and BCCI. It was his reports on many occasions, which formed basis of COA's status reports in the Apex court on non-compliance by the Board.
Battle for survival
On Wednesday SGM also, it was a legal advise by senior SC counsel that prevailed.
This is why BCCI members went back on the issues of "distribution of power between office-bearers and executive functionary and formation of apex council" apart from the earlier three "practical problems" listed before the SC.
As per Justice Lodha panel recommendations, Johri has become the most powerful executive functionary of the Board (as in the case of most other countries) which is not acceptable to the officials.
"Why should CEO convene any of the selection meeting and not the secretary, who is responsible as per BCCI constitution to do so?" asked the official.
However, the most BCCI members are irked by CEO's presence in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) meetings where Board has suffered huge financial losses according to them.
Most senior members of the board are of the view that this is probably the last chance for BCCI to show it to the highest court that "it is unanimous in whatever the outcome of final decision".
"We've been fighting for our independence and rights for last one year and we're ready to carry it on," was the message from BCCI SGM conveyed to the SC.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Rahul Johri")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}