Former CSK team official Gurunath Meiyappan and Royals co-owner Raj Kundra, both of whom found guilty of betting, were suspended for life from any cricketing activity organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in addition of getting banned from partaking in any other cricketing events in the next five years.
“His (Meiyappan) habit of regularly placing bets in IPL matches renders the argument of his being a first time offender and unblemished antecedents in previous IPL tournaments of no worth. That he suffered losses worth Rs.60 lakh in bets shows that he engaged heavily in them. It is his bad luck that he did not make money out of these bets,” Justice Lodha said at a press briefing. “Any agony suffered by him because of media coverage is too small in comparison to the huge injury he caused to the reputation and image of the game as well as the IPL and BCCI,” he added.
Meiyappan is the son-in-law of former BCCI president and current International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman N Srinivasan, who when contacted dismissed any claims of stepping down from his position.
Kundra an Indian-origin British businessman owned 11.74 per cent of shares in Rajasthan Royals before giving them away in March, was also handed the same sanctions as Meiyappan.
In his initial reaction to the committee verdict, Kundra tweeted:” Many inaccuracies. Have requested for a copy of the judgment. Obviously very shocked and disappointed.” The verdict, read out by former Chief Justice of India Justice RM Lodha in the presence of the other committee members, said the cricketers who were part of the two teams were free to join any other outfit.
The Supreme Court on January 22 set up the committee consisting of Justice Lodha, Justice Ashok Bhan (retired) and Justice R Raveendran (retired) to determine the magnitude of punishment for Meiyappan, Kundra and their respective franchises. In March a show cause notice was issued to Meiyappan and Kundra seeking their response to the committee findings. In addition, Lodha said the fate of ex-IPL Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sundar Raman, is yet to be decided as the investigation against him is ongoing.
The committee was also requested to examine and make suitable recommendations to the BCCI to reform its practices, procedures as well as amendments in the memorandum of association, rules and regulation which Lodha said would be done in due time.
Following the declaration of the verdict, BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said the Indian cricket board will honour the verdict. Justice Mukul Mudgal (retired), whose probe panel earlier found Meiyappan and Kundra guilty, hailed the verdict and said: “It is a strong punishment as well as an appropriate one and will go a long way in cleansing the game of cricket.”
Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary, Aditya Verma, who is the petitioner in the IPL spot fixing case, demanded that the BCCI should withdraw Srinivasan’s nomination as its representative in the ICC also threatening to take BCCI to court if his demands are not adhered to.
Srinivasan refuses to quit
International Cricket Council chairman N Srinivasan stated that he will not quit over his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan’s and Chennai Super Kings ban for their involvement in Indian Premier League matches.
Reacting to the historic verdict N Srinivasan stated: “I don’t want to speak on this issue, I am not associated with CSK. It has nothing to do with me, then why should I step down?” Earlier, Srinivasan had denied of having any knowledge of his son-in-law’s scandalous activities.
India Cements Ltd (ICL), owner of CSK is planning to move the Supreme Court against the order of the court appointed committee suspending the team from Indian Premier League for two years.