(Image source from: Exiled BCCI chief N Srinivasan to return soon})
After a top-level BCCI working committee meet, held on Sunday, absolved Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of BCCI former chief N. Srinivasan and one of the key suspects in IPL 6 spot-fixing scam, of all charges following lack of any conclusive evidence, the “exiled” BCCI chief is all set to reclaim his power now.
The two-member inquiry panel consisting of former judges R Balasubramaniam and T Jayaram Chouta also handed a clear-chit to Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra and India Cements.
The interim board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, however, said that the final decision on this will be taken during the IPL governing council meet to be held on August 2. Rajiv Shukla will continue as IPL chairman.
A section of the board, however, feels that that the entire meeting was “completely scripted”.
Expressing strong discontent at the outcome of the meeting, a top BCCI official said, “Has any powerful man in India ever been punished for corruption? The same thing happened on Sunday. Srinivasan will be back as president immediately. He had promised to stay away from the day-to-day activities of the BCCI till the probe panel submitted its report.”
In the upcoming BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) that is due in two months time, Srinivasan will have to contest against former BCCI supremo Sharad Pawar.
All said and done, there hardly seems to be any relief for Meiyappan yet, as BCCI’s verdict has no legal standing. Furthermore, the joint commissioner of Mumbai Police, Himanshu Roy, expressed that Meiyappan will be charge-sheeted very soon.
“We are confident of our case and he (Meiyappan) is going to be charge-sheeted. We are also looking forward to get the custody of bookies Pawan Chawda and Sanjay Jaipur,” Roy said.
The Indian board acquitted Meiyappan after Mumbai crime branch made a “no show” before BCCI’s inquiry panel to offer strong evidence.
“They had written to us in June asking our investigating officer (IO) to depose before their committee. I replied within a few days asking them for a law which allows our officer to depose before their committee, but they didn’t reply,” Roy said.
AW: Suchorita Dutta
