New Delhi, Nov 27:
Uncertainty over the possibility of N Srinivasan continuing as cricket boss and the survival of the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL deepened today as Supreme Court threw suggestions whether those named in the Mudgal Committee could keep out of BCCI elections and the CSK’s franchise could be scrapped.
During the more than three-hour long hearing arising out of Mudgal Committee findings, the Court also wondered as to what would happen if CSK franchise, owned by Indian Cements headed by Srinivasan, is scrapped and whether the conflict of interest issue would persist.
A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur also questioned the BCCI over not taking any action against CSK, Rajasthan Royals, the other team whose owner Raj Kundra was allegedly involved in betting, and their officials on the basis of findings of Mudgal Committee report and pulled up the Board for batting for the beleaguered Srinivasan.
The apex court also raised questions on the conflict of interest issue arising out of Srinivasan heading the BCCI and also owning CSK.
In a bid to ascertain the ownership of CSK, the Court asked the President-in-exile to furnish details of shareholdings and composition of board of Directors of India Cements Ltd, which according to him is the owner of the team. Srinivasan is the Vice chairman and Managing Director of India Cements.
He and the company, however, accepted before the court that Gurunath Maiyappan, who was arrested for allegedly betting during IPL 6, was an official of CSK. They had earlier described Meiyappan just as a cricket enthusiast who had nothing to do with the team management.
The, bench also comprising Justice F M I Kalifulla, suggested that the election process for the Board should go ahead but the people whose names have cropped up in the Mudgal report should step aside and the new board should decide what actions are to be taken on the basis of findings of the report.
“Why should we take action. You must yourself take the decision. There is no need to be defensive on the issue. We will give you the opportunity. Take a call on the issue. BCCI must put an end to all the controversy,” the bench said.
“Let all the persons involved in controversy step aside and election be conducted for the board and let the new board take a decision,” it said.
The bench said there were two aspects which need to be looked at and these are what would happen to CSK and Rajasthan Royals, and Srinivasan, Meiyappan and Kundra.
“The process of selecting the team members and captain may not be directly but indirectly taken by Meiyappan through his wife who is a member of India Cements Board having stakes in the company.
“He might be the ultimate controller of the team though he has no stakes in the company,” the bench said.
“We would like to know the composition of the Board members of the company. We would like to know the share holding of the company and the stake of Srinivasn and his family in the company.
“Who are the people who took decisions on behalf of the company regarding CSK. We are looking for real owners of the CSK,” it said. (PTI)
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