Lalit Modi's legal counsel Mehmood M. Abdi on Saturday submitted a 159-page reply to the show-cause notice served on the suspended IPL chairman by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on April 26. Mr. Modi spoke to BCCI president Shashank Manohar before his reply and documents were submitted to Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, Chief Administrative Officer, BCCI, at the Cricket Centre at 6 p.m.
The BCCI had charged Mr. Modi broadly on five counts: initial bids of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, broadcasting agreements with Multi Screen Media (MSM), bids of two new franchisees, inconsistencies in securing internet rights and his conduct.
Mr. Modi was granted five days beyond the first deadline of May 10, which he had requested. Mr. Abdi refused to reveal the content of the reply, saying it was for the BCCI to share it with the media.
Mr. Abdi said: “We have waited for 20 long days. Despite the provocative tone, tenor and the content of the show-cause, Mr. Modi has been able to maintain calm and restraint while responding to the queries and allegations raised.''
Mr. Abdi said: “It's been a team that's put all the facts and inputs together and that includes competent and senior legal professionals who have been drafting the reply. Mr. Modi was in constant touch with Harish Salve till the early hours of this [Saturday] morning from Europe. Mr. Salve finally settled the draft.” Along with Mr. Salve, Ram Jethmalani, Mahesh Jethmalani and a number of lawyers formed a team to draft this reply. This team addressed all the issues and allegations raised in the show-cause.”
Mr. Abdi said the reply was supported by 9,000 pages of different documents. “We have given a set each to the BCCI president and the secretary. We have given satisfactory answers to all the queries and allegations raised. After this, we don't feel there will be a need to proceed with a further enquiry. We hope that the show-cause will be dropped and all the positions Mr. Modi held before April 26 would be restored… There are games played within games and instances mentioned in the reply will give you all a new perspective to the issues raised.”
