BCCI PLAYS TOUGHIE
Lalit Modi’s defence team alleges BCCI is dissuading witnesses from deposing before disciplinary committee
By Qaiser Mohammad Ali in New Delhi
THE Indian cricket board is trying to dissuade some key
witnesses who Lalit Modi wants to appear before a BCCI disciplinary committee,
the suspended IPL chairman and commissioner has alleged.
Modi, who is facing the BCCI inquiry for his alleged “
individual misdemeanours” in the IPL, has alleged that Board president N
Srinivasan sent a “ subtle message” to Punjab Cricket Association ( PCA)
president IS Bindra to refrain from deposing.
IPL chief operating officer Sundar Raman did something
similar with an official of the Rajasthan Royals, Manoj Bithal, Modi’s defence
team has alleged.
Besides Bindra and Bithal, Modi’s defence team has sought
the presence of Sunil Gavaskar, Andrew Georgio and Venu Nair of the World
Sports Group (WSG), and IMG top gun Andrew Wildblood for examination.
“These witnesses should be summoned if the true aim of the
inquiry is to know the truth,” Mehmood M. Abdi, general counsel &
constituted attorney of Modi, says in the letter to the special BCCI
disciplinary committee.
These six “important and relevant” people have been summoned
in connection with issues ranging from the IPL television rights deal with Sony
to some tender documents.
“We had requested Mr. Bindra to provide us with a witness
statement. However, BCCI president Mr. N. Srinivasan sent [a] subtle
message to Mr. Bindra, asking him not to depose in the inquiry. Through Mr. Srinivasan’s mechanisation the matter was even
taken up at the level of PCA,” alleges Abdi.
“Mr. Bindra was told that to give evidence in favour of Mr.
Modi would be construed as going against BCCI, which, as an administrator, he
cannot do,” he has written. “Our request to the committee is that this is an
in- house proceeding and when witness[es] depose about matters in their
knowledge, even on behalf of Mr.Modi, they are not acting adversarial to the BCCI’s
interest.”
Abdi has alleged that Raman did something similar to Bithal. “Even in respect of Mr. Manoj Bithal, after he gave evidence
in favour of Mr. Modi, Mr. Sundar Raman, acting ostensibly on instructions of
Mr. N. Srinivasan, sent message to Mr. Manoj Badale that as [a] franchisee of
IPL how he could provide witness statement in favour of Mr. Modi,” he has
written. “Mr. Badale clarified that he had not made a witness statement, but it
was Mr. Bithal who had done so.” Modi’s constituted attorney further hinted
that BCCI even indulged in arm twisting tactics.
“At that point of time, BCCI was seeking to compromise its
arbitration dispute both with Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals.
The consent terms with Kings XI Punjab were filed in Bombay
High Court on 7.12.2012,” the letter says. “ However, only because Mr. Bithal
gave witness statement in favour of Mr. Modi, Rajasthan Royals was told that
they can forget about same treatment as given to Kings XI Punjab, though
termination of both Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals was on identical
grounds and for identical reasons.”
Abdi has asked the disciplinary committee to send request
letters to Bindra and Gavaskar under regulation 1(q). But he is sceptical that
certain people might not eventually turn up, though WSG’s Georgiou and Nair
have indicated that they would provide evidence if summoned.
“We, therefore, face a situation where all our witnesses who
are working in some capacity with BCCI would suffer if they give statement suo-
motto on our behalf. In fact, looking to the treatment given to Rajasthan
Royals, IMG would not [on] its own allow Mr. Wildblood to appear as it would be
perceived as acting against BCCI. Therefore, Mr. Wildblood should also be sent
[a] request letter to give evidence,” Abdi writes.
“Further direction should be given to BCCI and Mr. N.
Srinivasan that they should not hold out any threat to witnesses seeking to
depose in Mr. Modi’s favour,” he says.
Till Monday, 78 sittings of the disciplinary committee –
comprising Arun Jaitley, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Chirayu Amin – have taken
place. BCCI suspended Modi on April 25, 2010, slapped him with show cause
notices, and initiated a disciplinary inquiry against him. Modi has replied to
the notices and has since been living in London.
WITNESSES MODI IS SEEKING
ANDREW WILDBLOOD:
Required to examine him in respect of second show cause notice as he was one of
the attendees of the lunch meeting in Delhi with county officials
I. S. BINDRA: To
depose that the Sony contract was approved by the IPL GC on Aug 11, 2009, &
that on Dec 17, 2009, no tender for two new teams was approved by the GC &
that BCCI witness Sundar Raman had lied on this point in his witness statement.
Also to show the ill- will Giles Clarke harbours against Modi
SUNIL GAVASKAR:
To depose that in meeting dated March 7, 2010, IPL GC never reprimanded Modi
nor intended to take any action against him on the bid conditions of first
round of ITT and the word “reprimanded” in the minutes was incorrect
ANDREW GEORGIOU &
VENU NAIR: To depose regarding the BCCI TV rights issue as set out in the
show cause notice & their facilitation fee arrangement with Sony (Quoted
from the letter)
