N. Srinivasan cleared by Supreme Court to take charge as BCCI president

N. Srinivasan will not be allowed to take part in Indian Premier League related matters as Supreme Court forms three-member panel that will independently probe allegations of match-fixing and betting in the T20 league.

In a major relief to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the Supreme Court has allowed N. Srinivasan to assume office as Board chief. The apex court on Tuesday said Srinivasan was elected "democratically" and there were no direct charges of corruption against him. On completion of his two-year term, Srinivasan had unanimously won a year's extension at the Board's Annual General Meeting in Chennai on September 29.

After deliberating for weeks, the Supreme Court has finally cleared Srinivasan on the understanding that he will not interfere in Indian Premier League-related matters. Meanwhile, the apex court has approved a three-member probe panel to independently investigate allegations of corruption during the T20 league this year. The panel will be headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Mukul Mudgal. The other members on the panel are senior advocate Niloy Dutta and Additional Solicitor General L. Nageswara Rao. The newly-appointed panel will have four months to submit its report and recommendations directly to the court.

The Supreme Court has asked the BCCI to co-operate with the probe panel and arrange for its travel and accommodation. The court has also directed the Board to pay Rs 1 lakh per working day to the panel.

"We want this committee to probe the spot-fixing and this committee will report to us," said A.K Patnaik, one of two judges hearing the case. The probe will be separate from continuing investigations by police, who have filed charges in court against a string of officials, players and bookmakers in the scandal.

Srinivasan, 68, widely regarded as the most powerful man in world cricket, had been barred from taking charge since his election as the BCCI chief for a third year on September 29 till the apex court disposed of a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar. The Bihar association appealed that Srinivasan should stay away from the BCCI on moral grounds because his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan had been charged with betting during the IPL.

Meiyappan was the team principal of the Chennai Super Kings, the IPL franchise owned by Srinivasan's India Cements company and captained by national skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Srinivasan, who has not himself been accused of any wrongdoing, stepped aside temporarily as BCCI president in June when Meiyappan was named in the scandal. However, the apex court felt that the BCCI could not function without a chief and since Srinivasan has been elected "democratically" he could resume his duties.

All eyes will now be on the panel which has been agreed by both the BCCI and the Bihar association. Justice Mudgal is a known name in the sports world. In 2011, he was entrusted by the government to inquire into the spread of doping in sports. Mudgal had suggested that the National Anti-Doping Agency should be independent of the government.

Mudgal also headed the committee which made the draft recommendations for the National Sports Development Bill. The focus of his recommendations has been to clean up sports administration. The Bill bars a tainted person from contesting any election and also wants the BCCI to come under the RTI Act. Mudgal's panelists are well versed with cricket. Dutta is a senior advocate and has been associated with BCCI activities. Additional Solicitor General Rao is also a keen cricketer.

As for Srinivasan, he will have several key issues to address. Among others, Srinivasan will have to okay the venues for the two Tests and three one-dayers against the West Indies in November. There is a tug-o-war going on between Mumbai and Bengal over Sachin Tendulkar's 200th Test. In Mumbai, authorities of both Wankhede and Brabourne Stadiums are keen on hosting the milestone game.

From an international standpoint, Srinivasan also has to decide on India's tour of South Africa in December. The high-profile tour is in limbo with BCCI playing hardball against its South African counterpart, apparently because Cricket South Africa chose Haroon Lorgat as CEO much against Srinivasan's wishes. South Africa stand to lose at least 250 million Rands (1 Rand = Rs 6 approximately) if India refused to tour.

Supreme Court set to name IPL probe panel, decide N. Srinivasan's fate

Apex court may also decide N. Srinivasan's fate as BCCI president. Till the Supreme Court disposes of a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar, the 68-year-old Srinivasan cannot execute his duties as Board chief.

New Delhi:  The Supreme Court on Tuesday will discuss a panel that will launch a fresh enquiry into the spot-fixing scandal surrounding the Indian Premier League. The apex court is also expected to decide on N. Srinivasan's return as the country's cricket chief. On Monday, the Supreme Court proposed a three-member panel headed by headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Mukul Mudgal to investigate the scandal that rocked the popular Twenty20 league run by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Apart from Mudgal, the other members of the three-member panel are senior advocate Niloy Dutta and Additional Solicitor General L. Nageswara Rao. There could be objection on Dutta's name as he is a cricket official from Assam and is on at least two BCCI committees recently approved by Srinivasan.

"We want this committee to probe the spot-fixing and this committee will report to us," said A.K Patnaik, one of two judges hearing the case. Patnaik also told the court that the BCCI's lawyers must reply to the proposal in Tuesday's hearing. The probe will be separate from continuing investigations by police, who have filed charges in court against a string of officials, players and bookmakers in the scandal.

Srinivasan, 68, widely regarded as the most powerful man in world cricket, has been barred by the court from taking charge since his election as the BCCI chief for a third year on September 29. The Supreme Court is acting on a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar. The Bihar association has said that Srinivasan should stay away from the BCCI on moral grounds because his son-in-law had been charged in the scandal.

The son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, was the team principal of the Chennai Super Kings, the IPL franchise owned by Srinivasan's India Cements company and captained by national skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Srinivasan, who has not himself been accused of any wrongdoing, stepped aside temporarily as BCCI president in June when Meiyappan was named in the scandal. However, the apex court feels that the BCCI cannot function without a chief and since Srinivasan has been elected "democratically" he could resume his duties but not interfere in IPL matters. A decision is expected on Tuesday. However, the case has been listed at No. 70 and there is a likelihood that it may not come up for deliberation at all.

The Bihar association had argued in court that an internal BCCI probe panel had absolved Srinivasan, Meiyappan, India Cements and other IPL officials of wrongdoing even before police had filed charges in court. Former Australian star Mike Hussey, who has played for the Chennai Super Kings since the inaugural IPL season in 2008, recently dismissed Srinivasan's suggestion that Meiyappan was only a "cricket enthusiast".

Hussey asserted in his new autobiography that Meiyappan was running the team since Srinivasan was busy with BCCI affairs. "Our owner was India Cements, headed by Mr Srinivasan," Hussey wrote, according to excerpts published on several websites.

Hussey wrote: "As he was also on the board of the BCCI, he (Srinivasan) gave control of the team to his son-in-law Mr Gurunath (Meiyappan). He ran the team along with Kepler Wessels, who was (then) coach."

Srinivasan's hold on world cricket stems from India's vast television audience, which enables the country to generate almost 70 per cent of the game's revenues. The fate of India's tour of South Africa hangs in balance as Srinivasan is expected to take a final call only after the Supreme Court lets him take charge as BCCI boss.

N. Srinivasan's return as BCCI chief on hold; Supreme Court proposes panel to probe IPL betting

Hearing a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar seeking an injunction on N. Srinivasan performing his duties as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the apex court has proposed a three-member panel comprising a former High Court judge to probe Indian Premier League betting issue.

The Supreme Court has put off N. Srinivasan's return as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Deliberating on a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar, the apex court has now suggested a three-member panel, headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Mukul Mudgal to probe the Indian Premier League betting scandal. The case will come up for hearing again on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court has asked both the BCCI and the Bihar association to give their views on the proposed committee. Apart from Mudgal, the other members of the three-member panel are senior advocate Niloy Dutta and Additional Solicitor General L. Nageswara Rao. Interestingly, Rao is also a cricketer.

It may be recalled that Bihar had appealed to the Supreme Court to form an independent committee to investigate corruption in IPL after the Bombay High Court on July 30 had declared as "illegal and unconstitutional" a BCCI-appointed panel consisting of two former judges. A Bombay High Court Division Bench of Justices S.J. Vazifdar and M.S. Sonak had given its ruling after hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bihar's Aditya Verma, who challenged the constitution of the commission by the BCCI and the IPL governing council, especially as it was formed when Srinivasan was still active president of the BCCI. Needless to say, the BCCI panel gave a clean chit to Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals owners who faced charges of betting during IPL games.

On Monday, the Bihar association expressed its opposition to Arun Jaitley as a member of the probe committee. Jaitley is a former vice-president of the BCCI and reckoned as the 'brain' behind Srinivasan, who was forced to step aside as the Board president in June when the IPL scandal rocked the cricket fraternity.  Last week, the BCCI proposed the names of Jaitley and Dutta as part of a panel to probe afresh the corruption charges against team owners of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Bihar did not agree to this panel.

Supreme Court judges Justice A.K. Patnaik and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar on Monday said it wanted an "independent" panel that will not only investigate the IPL scandal but also give "recommendations" to the BCCI. After Bihar suggested the names of former Supreme Court judges B.N. Srikrishna or S.H. Kapadia, Justice Patnaik and Justice Khehar proposed the committee to be headed by Mudgal. The apex court is now expected to ratify the panel on Tuesday.

It is still not clear when Srinivasan can assume his office as BCCI president. However, the Supreme Court has said: "(Srinivasan) having been elected, he has to function and cricket has to go on". The same mood prevailed in the hearing on September 30 when the Supreme Court criticized the way the BCCI was functioning. "There is something wrong," the judges said, even asking why the Board "had lost its credibility."

Justice Patnaik and Justive Khehar felt Srinivasan was elected "democratically" and an organization like the BCCI cannot work without a head. Bihar lawyers also said the president had to work since Srinivasan had to take major decisions on behalf of the richest cricket body in the world. At the BCCI Annual General Meeting in Chennai on September 29, Srinivasan unanimously won a year's extension but could not assume office till the Supreme Court disposed of a petition that restrained him from taking charge.

Since August, the Supreme Court has been deliberating on a Special Leave Petition filed by the Bihar association that wanted the court to restrain Srinivasan from contesting the BCCI elections because his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was charge-sheeted by the Mumbai Police for corruption during Indian Premier League matches earlier this year. Although the Bihar body said Srinivasan had "no moral right" to lead the BCCI, the court allowed Srinivasan to take part in the elections, but only just.

Like a Test match, the Srinivasan camp is surely facing the test of patience. While indications of Srinivasan's return as BCCI president is quite apparent, the judges are in no mood to rush. BCCI's lawyers have already told the Supreme Court that Srinivasan will not participate in IPL-related affairs. Once the court approves the panel, the heat and dust over Srinivasan "officially" taking charge as BCCI boss should settle.