Suspended IPL Chairman Lalit Modis challenge against BCCIs disciplinary proceedings will be decided by the Bombay High Court on Thursday. Modis lawyer Virag Tulzapurkar told the court on Wednesday that his client cant expect impartial and honest decision from disciplinary committee which will conduct inquiry against him. It is impossible for me to expect a fair honest inquiry because this has been pre-empted by them (committee), the court was told. Modi had moved court after he was summoned by the committee which is is going to meet on July 16. Stating that he is not averse to the inquiry,Modi urged the division bench of Justice B H Marlapalle and Justice Roshan Dalvi to constitute an independent body for conducting inquiry instead of the present disciplinary panel of Arun Jaitley,Jyotiraditya Scindia and Chirayu Amin,IPLs interim Chairman. Another body should be constituted for a fair and independent conclusion,Modis counsel told the court. He also pointed out to emphasise that the BCCI has already made its mind in Modis case- that it scrapped the telecast rights contract with Mauritius-based World Sport Group (WSG). It has been alleged that Modis tender process for the contract was questionable. Facilitation fee of USD 80 million (Rs 425 crore) paid by IPLs sub-continent broadcast rights holders MSM Satellite to WSG (Mauritius) had been termed as fraudulent by the BCCI. Modi also alleged that the actions of BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan were actuated by bias against Modi,as the latter had made allegations against Srinivasan regarding having a stake in IPL franchise team Chennai Super Kings. When one of the lawyers for BCCI said that Modis allegations were fanciful,Justice Marlapalle said,In general the game of cricket has become fanciful. Similarly,Amin,a member of the committee and acting Chairman of IPL,too had a personal bias against Modi,advocate Tulzapurkar argued. As for Jaitley,Modis counsel argued that the former along with Amin,was part of the IPLs governing council which ratified Srinivasans opinion that there was prima facie evidence to initiate disciplinary inquiry against Modi.
