"BCCI has Modi-phobia", said Lalit Modi's lawyer Mehmood Abdi as he lashed out against the Indian Cricket Board for "shutting all doors" on the suspended IPL Commissioner in Wednesday's Annual General Meeting.
Modi was effectively shut out of the Governing Council without being expelled after Chirayu Amin was made the new chairman of the IPL's reconstituted Governing Council.
"Modi is not part of the BCCI any more. He cannot say he's suspended IPL Chairman," BCCI President Shashank Manohar told a press conference after the Board's 81st AGM at its headquarters.
Modi was replaced in the Vice-President's post by another central zone representative Rajiv Shukla at the AGM and the previous IPL Governing Council had been dissolved through a constitutional amendment.
Abdi said Wednesday's decisions by the BCCI further strengthens his client's case of being the victim of malice and prejudice.
"It further establishes our case of malice and personal prejudice against Modi. It shows that the entire BCCI is suffering from Modi-phobia. They are shutting all doors on his return," Abdi told reporters.
"First they suspended him, then they removed him from the vice-President's post and have now reduced the tenure of the governing council," he added.
Abdi said given the Board's hurry to keep Modi out, the Board might even dissolve the current Governing Council if the suspended administrator tried to return.
"If they sniff even a little chance of Modi's return, they may even dissolve the council. The decisions taken are with prospective effect and not retrospective effect," he said.
Apart from Amin, the Board retained Ravi Shastri in the reconstituted Governing Council, which also has two new members in Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association President Anurag Thakur and former national selector Ranjeeb Biswal.
Arun Jaitley, Shukla and Ajay Shirke are the other members, while BCCI said the eighth member of the Council will be selected by its chief Manohar.
"The President has been authorised by the house to nominate one cricketer of repute," BCCI said in a statement.
BCCI has Modi-phobia: Abdi
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