Modi expulsion certain,Scindia to head probe

The BCCIs Special General-body Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai was always expected to hasten the much-anticipated verdict on Lalit Modis future.

The BCCIs Special General-body Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai was always expected to hasten the much-anticipated verdict on Lalit Modis future. And it only seemed inevitable when BCCI president Shashank Manohar revealed to the press following the SGM on Saturday that the board had unanimously ratified all the charges leveled against the suspended IPL commissioner.

Now Modis fate rests with the disciplinary committee,which will look into the matter now expected to be a mere academic exercise with an inevitable conclusion. But there might be more acrimonious eventualities awaiting the former IPL boss,with the board president now authorised to initiate civil and criminal proceedings against him.

The house,after deliberation and debate on the matter,resolved that the Board President has the right to start any legal proceedings,including civil and criminal proceedings,against Mr Modi,” revealed Manohar,while adding that criminal proceedings could be initiated against Modi for the many financial irregularities while issuing IPL contracts and rights.

He also added that the reconstituted disciplinary committee would now include Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association chief and Union minster Jyotiraditya Scindia,who replaces Manohar,and will be joined by BCCI vice-presidents Chirayu Amin and Arun Jaitley.

There were 30 members present,29 state associations were there and the house took a unanimous decision ratifying BCCI secretarys (N Srinivasan) decision to recommend the matter to the disciplinary committee,” he explained.

When asked about the rationale behind the inclusion of Scindia in the committee,Manohar brought up Modis repeated accusations against the board especially the president and the secretary for holding grudges against him.

He (Modi) has accused me and Srinivasan of bias,so we both thought that Mr Scindia would be the best person to be in the committee because he is not associated with the day to day functioning of the board,” he said.

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While the board president refused to divulge the exact estimate of Modis financial irregularities,he admitted that there were a number of contracts of which the board had no knowledge of. Regarding the civil and criminal proceedings that Modi could be faced with,Manohar insisted that those matters would be decided by the disciplinary committee,which has time till October 26 to conclude its investigation.

There were certain rights given to parties without there being contracts like the ticketing rights for the finals and the third-place match given to a company called Ticket Genie’. There was no contract to show how many tickets were printed and how many were sold,” he said.

Ironically,while Modis replies to all three show-cause notices were rejected by Srinivasan,the former will get another chance to present his case,when he appears before the committee. He will be asked to appear before the inquiry committee where he can give his additional reply,” said Manohar.