IPL Governing Council: Chirayu Amin New Interim IPL Boss;Chargesheet Against Modi Outlined

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Sreelata YellamrazuApr 26 2010

Following the much anticipated IPL Governing Council at the BCCI Headquarters, the BCCI President made a few key announcements.

ratnakar shetty gautam gambhir

Shashank Manohar stated the reason for holding the meeting after the IPL 3 final stating that the board did not want to disrupt what is a "huge and valuable property"

Manohar maintained that "ethics and transparency" were above the IPL brand itself. He stated that the board had watched with interest the last fiteen days, lot of allegations and counter allegations were made in media and the board was being looked into allegations levelled.

Mr. Chirayu Amin has been appointed as the New Interim IPL Chairman.

He confirmed that the showcause notice was issued to Mr. Lalit Modi, the now suspended IPL Chairman and Commissioner, only after IPL 3 presentation ceremony, and he has been, pending inquiry, suspended.

The BCCI would conduct a probe based on Modi's reply.

Manohar also stated that the BCCI has asked Dr. Ratnakar Shetty to look into the case of missing documents from the IPL office as has been repeatedly stated by the Income Tax department.

Documents and Contracts

Manohar also revealed that the Governing Council members, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, MAK Pataudi, have been asked to discuss the modalities of retaining cricketers - both Indian and foreign going into the 2011 IPL 4 and that the final decision would be made a month later.

He categorically stated that the attempt was at a "free and fair inquiry, suspension is not punishment."

Taking questions, Manohar alleged that the IPL CEO, Sundar Raman, had his own set up the run but that there were incompetencies in that contracts such as those related to the IPL Awards were never finalized or ratified. He stated that a similar functioning had led to decisions being taken unilaterally, one of the allegations in the twenty-two in the chargesheet issued to Modi.

Other contentions in the chargesheet included

= internet rights,

= hidden stakes in the Rajasthan Royals (where in Emerging Media bid but Jaipur IPL signed on the bid document) and Kings XI Punjab (where Preity Zinta signed the document on behalf of a consortium that did not include Gaurav Burman originally),

= behavioural patterns of Mr. Modi with respect to leaking confidential information to the media via social networking network Twitter,

= the issue of the facilitation fee involving WSG and MSM,

= the allegation that Modi tried to rig the auctions of the IPL 4's two new teams.

On AC Muttiah

He has also clarified the issue of the Supreme Court case by the former BCCI President, A.C. Muttiah, against the BCCI over allowing N.Srinivsan to have "conflict of interest" in holding stake in the Chennai Super Kings was not new. He stated that Muttiah raised the issue in 2008 after Srinivasan had put the plan clear before the board and took their approval. He stated that Muttiah moved the Madras High Court on the same issue after he lost elections in Tamil Nadu to Srinivasan.

On Kochi franchisee

Manohar said there was no issue of going back on the Kochi franchisee because the issue of giving sweat equity (as was the case with Sunanda Pushkar who is believed to have close relations with Shashi Taroor) was the company's business since it was their money over which BCCI had no right to dictate.

On BCCI's accountability

Shashank Manohar stated that the BCCI did not act contrary or in collusion with Modi because Modi was painting the picture of everything being in order which the board did not think to question until all the allegations came to light.

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