The seven questions the Supreme
Court deliberated on to lay down the roadmap to the further course of action to
clean BCCI, to cleanse Indian Cricket to take the IPL Spot Fixing probe to its
final conclusion are:
1. If BCCI comes under judicial
review?
The apex court says yes. The
Verdict reads - BCCI
may not be State under Article 12 of the Constitution but is certainly amenable
to writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.
2. If Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj
Kundra were team officials and if they were involved in betting?
The court says yes to both.
3. If Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj
Kundra were team officials and if they were found guilty, what would be the
future course of action?
The verdict copy reads - The misconduct against these two individuals
is actionable as per the relevant rules to which we have referred in detail.
Not only that, we have held that action under the rules can also be taken
against the franchisees concerned. We have noticed that that the quantum of
sanction/punishment can vary depending upon the gravity of the misconduct of
the persons committing the same.
4. If N Srinivasan was involved
in covering-up the IPL Spot Fixing episode?
The court says no - but not without
making scathing remarks on Srinivasan's overall conduct, putting him in the
dock. The verdict says the allegation wasn't proved but it doesn't mean the
allegation was baseless. The court does accepts the 'element of suspicion' on
the part of Srinivasan's conduct in the spot-fixing cover-up affair.
5. If the BCCI amendment of its Regulation
6.4.2 allowing its administrators to have commercial interests in IPL,
Champions League and Twenty-20 was legally unethical and unacceptable?
The court says yes, it was
'legally bad' - The Amendment
to Rule 6.2.4 permitting Administrators of BCCI to acquire or hold commercial
interests in BCCI like IPL, champions league and T-20 held to be bad.
The court struck down the
amendment saying Srinivasan's simultaneous roles as the BCCI chief and IPL team
owner were a clear-cut case of 'conflict of interest' and the conduct was not
acceptable and Srinivasan needed to choose between BCCI and IPL.
6. If Sundar Raman,
the IPL Chief Operating Officer (COO) was guilty?
The Supreme Court has ordered further probe on Sundar
Raman's role in the IPL Spot Fixing scandal, placing him firmly under scanner.
The verdict elaborates: Mr.
Sundar Raman was, and continues to be the Chief Operating Officer of IPL. He
has held and continues to hold a very important position in the entire system.
On his own showing he was dealing with practically all aspects of organization
of the game, including facilitating whenever necessary the appearance and
participation of celebrities and organizing tickets, accreditation cards and
such other matters. He was, therefore, the spirit behind the entire exercise
and cannot be said to be unconcerned with what goes on in the course of the
tournament especially if it has the potential of bringing disrepute to the
game/BCCI.
We are, therefore, not inclined to let the allegations made against Mr.
Sundar Raman go un-probed, even if it means a further investigation by the
investigating team provided to the probe committee or by any other means. Truth
about the allegations made against Mr. Sundar Raman, must be brought to light,
for it is only then that all suspicions about the fraudulent activities and
practices floating in the media against the BCCI and its administrators in
several proceedings before different courts can be given a quietus.
7. What should be the future course of action -
on cleaning BCCI and cleansing Cricket run by it and taking the IPL Spot Fixing
probe to its finality?
Giving directions on N
Srinivasan, Sundar Raman, Raj Kundra, Gurunath Meiyappan, Chennai Super Kings,
Rajasthan Royals, BCCI and IPL Spot Fixing episode - the court formed a three member
committed to be headed by R. M. Lodha, former Chief Justice - to probe the
matter further and to come with guidelines on revamping BCCI - with a deadline
of six months. Ashok Bhan and R. V. Raveendran, former Supreme Court judges are
other members of the committee.
IPL VERDICT: SEVEN QUESTIONS SUPREME COURT'S VERDICT IS BASED ON