Stay out of IPL probe: SC to Srini

Stating that there was “something seriously wrong“ with the BCCI, the Supreme Court directed that while N. Srinivasan would remain board president, he should not participate in any matter relating to the IPL and the spot-fixing scandal. The bench said: “One thing is clear from the fact that so many things are coming from the IPL. Something is seriously wrong with the cricket body... tell us ... why it (BCCI) has lost credibility.“ On Monday, the Supreme Court said that Srinivasan being president of the board should not affect the probe into the IPL spotfixing scandal, in which his son-inlaw has been chargesheeted as an accused. "You (Srinivasan) being there (as BCCI president) should not affect the fairness of the probe..." Expressing concern that there was “something seriously wrong“ with the BCCI which had “lost its credibility“, the Supreme Court on Monday directed that while N. Srinivasan would remain president, he will not be able to participate in any matter relating to the Indian Premier League and the spot-fixing scandal. Srinivasan was on Sunday re-elected unopposed as BCCI president at its annual general meeting in Chennai. He was earlier forced to “step aside“ from the post in the wake of allegations of his son-in-law's involvement in the spot-fixing of IPL matches. On Monday, the Supreme Court said that Srinivasan being president of the board should not affect the probe into the IPL spot-fixing scandal, in which his son-inlaw has been chargesheeted as an accused. “You (Srinivasan) being there (as BCCI president) should not affect the fairness of the probe...” “He (Srinivasan) will continue (as BCCI president) but will not participate in the IPL issue,” said a bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and J.S. Kehar. Expressing concern over the state of affairs in the cricket body, the bench remarked: “One thing is clear from the fact that so many things are coming from the IPL. Something is seriously wrong with the cricket body... Please tell us ... why it (BCCI) has lost credibility.” The court also told Srinivasan not to be in a “hurry” and to allow the Cricket Association of Bihar to mull over his suggestion that a committee under the chairmanship of either Arun Jaitley or Vinay Dutta, both of whom are lawyers, be constituted to probe the IPL spot fixing scandal that involves his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan. “Don’t be in a hurry. Give them (CAB) the proposal and let them consider your suggestion,” the bench said.The court fixed the matter for the next hearing on October 7, and said that it would dispose of the case in an expedited fashion. The court was hearing the plea of the CAB filed earlier, seeking an interim injunction restraining Srinivasan from contesting for the post of the BCCI president. The CAB had also sought a direction to the BCCI that Srinivasan not be inducted in any committee of the board till the matter pending in the court was decided. Crossappeals have also been filed before the court by the BCCI and the CAB against the Bombay High Court’s verdict declaring illegal the probe panel appointed by the board to examine the spot-fixing scandal.