AN Indian high court has thrown out a petition from suspended Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi and asked him to appear before a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) disciplinary committee hearing today.
In his petition, Modi had asked for a stay in the committee hearing, a reversal of the BCCI order on his suspension as IPL commissioner and a reconstitution of the disciplinary panel itself – which Modi felt would have their own personal bias with regard to his actions.
However, the Bombay High Court has refused on all three counts, leaving Modi with the task of answering civil and criminal charges related to financial irregularities during the third edition of the IPL.
BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said: “Mr Lalit Modi had filed a petition regarding the committee saying it would be biased against him, along with other issues – including the overturning of his suspension.
“The honourable court has given the order that he has to appear before the disciplinary committee and present his case. Any concerns that he has over the aforementioned issues has to be brought before the disciplinary committee.”
Modi’s lawyer Mehmood Abdi said: “The honourable court said it did not go into the merits or demerits of the issues raised.
“The court said it does not consider it correct to interfere in that matter.”
In a special general meeting held on July 3, a three-man disciplinary committee – comprising interim IPL chairman Chirayu Amin, Delhi District Cricket Association head Arun Jaitley and Jyotiraditya Scindia, president of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association – levelled the charges related to money laundering, rigging of franchise bids and awarding of television rights for the money-spinning league.
A collective letter sent by the panel to the embattled ex-commissioner read: “Members of the disciplinary committee of the BCCI are in receipt of a communication dated July 6 addressed to them by your solicitors Wadia Ghandy & Co.
“The issues raised in the said communication shall be considered by the disciplinary committee in its meeting/hearing on July 16, 2010 at the Cricket Centre. You (Modi) are requested to be present in person to address the disciplinary committee in the said issues after which the members shall decide on the issues raised.” (Eurosport)