The BCCI is all set delegate its Disciplinary Committee to proceed further in the IPL probe against Lalit Modi.
For the first time since the first show cause notice was served on Mr. Modi on April 26 and also suspended as IPL Chairman and from all positions he held in the BCCI, N. Srinivasan, Secretary BCCI — on a directive from Shashank Manohar, President — has convened a Special General Meeting (SGM) at the Cricket Centre here on Saturday.
Thirty full members, who have the voting right, associate and affiliate members have been invited for the meeting that will consider specific items on the agenda like (1) to ratify the action of the Hon. Secretary, BCCI in referring the charges against Lalit Modi in the three show cause notices to the Disciplinary Committee (2) to reconstitute the Disciplinary Committee for holding enquiry against Lalit Modi and (3) to discuss and take appropriate decisions with regard to the conduct of the IPL and matters arising thereof.
Shashank Manohar, Chirayu Amin (Vice-President), Arun Jaitley (Vice-President) were nominated as members of the Disciplinary Committee at the AGM in September 2009. Manohar has decided to recuse himself from the Disciplinary Committee stating that Mr. Modi should not get even a whiff that he would be prejudiced.
The Disciplinary Committee is not a statutory committee of the BCCI, but a special committee nominated by the BCCI President at every AGM. As an established practice BCCI Presidents have opted for two of the five Vice-Presidents and hence it's possible that either Shivlal Yadav (Vice-President, South Zone) or Arindham Ganguly (Vice-President, East Zone) could fill in for Mr. Manohar.
With a simple majority required from among the 30 full members, the first item on the agenda should be endorsed; this would pave the way for Mr. Srinivasan to authorise the reconstituted Disciplinary Committee to proceed into the charges against Mr. Modi.
Apart from circulating copies of the three show cause notices, replies given by Mr. Modi, and the letter from the BCCI President recusing himself from the Disciplinary Committee, Mr. Srinivasan has also brought to the notice of the members the charges that would be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.
These are pertaining to (1) IPL bid that was won by Emerging Media being awarded to Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd. (2) incorporating two clauses in the Invitation to Tender (to ascertain two additional franchises) without the knowledge of the IPL Governing Council (3) arm-twisting Rendezvous Sports World (Kochi franchise) (4) making BCCI a party to the payment of a facilitation fee of $ 80 million by Multi Screen Media to World Sport Group (WSG) (5) Internet Rights (6) misconduct and acting against the interest of BCCI (7) ECB letter to the BCCI (8) Theatrical rights and (9) Commercial exploitation of 150 second between balls in the IPL 3 season.
