Chennai Super Kings Petition Challenging IPL Suspension Admitted by Madras High Court

Chennai Super Kings have been given a lifeline by the Madras High Court. A petition filed by the former IPL champions, suspended by a the Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha Committee, will be heard on August 27.(Chennai, Rajasthan Suspended for 2 Years)

The Board of Control for Cricket working committee will meet on August 28 to discuss the way forward for Chennai and Rajasthan Royals, the two teams that have been slapped with a two-year ban because their team owners were involved in betting during the 2013 edition of IPL.

The first bench of Madras High Court on Friday found the petition of CSK's new owner Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited challenging the suspension, maintainable and issued notice to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).('Chennai Suspension Shocking')

The bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice TS Sivagnanam also permitted Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) to be a party to the proceedings, and then adjourned the matter to August 27.

The entire IPL betting and spot-fixing case started with a petition made by CAB in Mumbai High Court in June 2014.

Chennai Super Kings, on Thursday, moved the Madras High Court challenging the order of Justice Lodha Committee suspending it from IPL over the 2013 betting scam involving its top official Gurunath Meiyappan. In its petition, Chennai contended that the committee's order was against fundamental principles of natural justice and a fair hearing.

Star-studded Mahendra Dhoni-led CSK and Rajasthan Royals were on July 14 suspended for two years from the League in a clean-up of cricket following the 2013 betting scam involving their top officials Meiyappan and Raj Kundra.

Son-in-law of the then BCCI chief N Srinivasan, Meiyappan, a former Team Principal of CSK, and Kundra, co-owner of Jaipur IPL that runs Rajasthan Royals (RR), were suspended for life from any match conducted by BCCI.

The punishments were handed down by a three-member panel headed by former CJI R M Lodha which was asked by the Supreme Court to decide the quantum of punishments after finding them guilty of betting. The order is binding on BCCI.

In its petition, Chennai alleged that imposing punishment on the franchise (CSK) without going into the charges or the alleged offence committed was against the

principles of natural justice and a fair hearing. It further said the refusal of Justice Lodha committee to enter into the dispute of whether India Cements was guilty of

violating clause 4.1.1.of IPL operation rules had led to 'grave miscarriage of justice'.

While referring to the Supreme Court order in January last, the petition said "Gurunath Meiyappan had been (found) guilty of betting but not spot-fixing, match-fixing or misuse of inside information...Meiyappaan never had shares in India Cements nor was he is in the management of the company."

(With inputs from PTI)