Lalit Modi guilty of major irregularities: Farooq Abdullah

The noose tightened further around Lalit Modi today with IPL Governing Council member Farooq Abdullah saying that the suspended commissioner of the Twenty20 league committed "major irregularities" during his days in the office.

The Governing Council also approved an amended media rights agreement with MSM Satellite, which will recover the Rs425 crore facilitation fee it had paid to World Sports Group (WSG) and pay it back to BCCI as rights fees.

Talking to reporters after the crucial Governing Council meeting which discussed issues related to Modi and the financial deals he had signed, Abdullah said views were exchanged on how to deal with the situation now.

"The various problems that IPL has gone through were put forward and decisions were taken. We found out major irregularities that have been committed by the past chairman and discussed what will be done and how we would proceed further," said Abdullah.

The Governing Council was convinced of Modi's irregularities while adding two new franchises to the league earlier this year, hinted Abdullah.

"We hope that people would come to know much more as to what has transpired in various things. How various franchisees were added and how irregularities were done," he said.

Giving an idea of how much Modi dominated today's meeting, Abdullah said, "Did we discuss him? How can he not be discussed? We were briefed about the mistakes he committed."

He said the Governing Council also discussed BCCI's July 3 Special General Body meeting, which is likely to seal Modi's fate.

"The agenda (of the meeting) was prepared today and all these (issues) was discussed," he said.

Abdullah said the July 3 meeting would also hear Modi's allegations against BCCI secretary N Srinivasan.

"Whatever charges and counter-charges have been made, the BCCI has a mechanism whereby the General Body would meet...Mr Modi has made a number of charges but I think many of these things would be cleared when the committee meets," he said.

Srinivasan said in a statement that today's meeting reviewed the status of all issues relating to Modi.

"The members were briefed about the three Show Cause Notices issued to Mr Lalit K Modi and his replies," he said.

Modi was slapped three show cause notices, mainly on charges of financial irregularities like proxy investment and bid-rigging.

Questions were also raised about the Rs 425 crore 'facilitation' fee that MSM Satellite paid to World Sports Group and Srinivasan said BCCI would get the money back as rights fees.

"The Governing Council-IPL had approved an amended Media Rights Agreement with MSM Satellite (Singapore) Pvt. Ltd. in which MSM would agreed to pay the balance payable under the Facilitation Fee Agreement to the BCCI.

"Thus, they have agreed to pay Rs. 300 crores as part of the rights fee to BCCI. MSM Satellite (Singapore) are taking steps to recover Rs. 125 Crores already paid to WSG Mauritius and on recovery, will pay the same to BCCI," Srinivasan said in a statement.