India Cements Ltd failed to ensure Meiyappan adheres to rule: Panel

A Supreme Court-appointed committee has held India Cement, owner of Chennai Super Kings team, had failed to ensure that its team principal Gurunath Meiyappan adhered to rules and regulations of BCCI and IPL to keep the game of cricket free from corruption. The committee said Meiyappan, son-in-law of BCCI President N Srinivasan and indicted for betting by the panel, brought ‘disrepute’ to the game and the stand taken by the franchisee appears to be contradicting the factual position of the matter. ‘Thus, in conclusion the committee finds that Meiyappan is in violation of sections 2.2.1 and 2.14 the IPL Operational Rules for bringing the game in disrepute, Articles 2.2.1, 2.2.2, and 2.2.3 of the IPL anti corruption code for his acts of betting and Articles 2.4.4 of the IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials, for bring disrepute to the game of cricket,’ the three-member committee, which submitted its report to the apex court Monday, said. ‘However the committee is of the view that the infraction of the rules prohibiting betting by a team official has clearly occurred and except on the 8th of February 2014, when senior counsel adopted a stance CSK should not be punished for actions of Meiyappan, franchisee owners (Indian Cement) have defended the actions of the franchisee by contending that Gurunath was not related in any way with the franchisee. The stand taken by the franchisee appears to be contradicting the factual position as has already been observed by this committee,’ it said.