IPL Scam Hearing: Turn of BCCI Lawyers to Secure Clean Chit for N. Srinivasan

Ever since Supreme Court proceedings on corruption in Indian Premier League started middle of last year, this will be the first time that the case will be heard for the third time in a week. Suspended Board of Control for Cricket in India president N. Srinivasan, who is desperate for another term as Board chief, continues to hog the spotlight even as judges on the special Bench have raised questions on his conflict of interest in Indian cricket.

On November 3, the Justice Mukul Mudgal-headed probe committee submitted a sealed report on 13 individuals. Officially, the judges have revealed the names of four "non-playing" members - Srinivasan, his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, IPL COO Sundar Raman and Rajasthan Royals' co-owner Raj Kundra. On Thursday morning, lawyers will be responding to notices served on their high-profile 'clients.' (Meiyappan's Role in IPL Scam Like Insider Trading: Supreme Court)

The presence of Srinivasan in this case has virtually paled into insignificance the alleged involvement of others. Srinivasan and Meiyappan (already indicted for betting by the probe panel) have continued to hog the spotlight because both are directly related to two-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings. As per IPL rules, the involvement of a team official in corrupt activities can lead to termination. The probe committee has identified Meiyappan as a team official. (Make Mudgal Report Public: Aditya Verma)

As the case gathers steam on the home stretch, the judges are under pressure to reveal the full report. Cricket Association of Bihar (petitioners) counsel Harish Salve, during his two-hour argument on Tuesday, urged the judges -- Justice TS Thakur and Justice FM Kalifullah -- to make the full report public because names of top players were being "maligned" by a speculative media. The judges are not against releasing the entire report but that may not happen immediately. (Srinivasan's India Cements Shares Sink as Concerns Over CSK Grow)

This has been a dramatic week and the court has eloquently hinted that it was looking at the overall governance of Indian cricket. By calling BCCI and IPL a "mutual benefit society", the judges are not amused by the fact that Srinivasan owns an IPL team and also runs the Board. The judges made a telling remark: "Your duty as a president is to keep the show (IPL) running and to keep it clean. What is your duty as a team owner? To win the tournament." (IPL Spot-Fixing: A Timeline)

If Monday's observations are any indication, Srinivasan's lawyers are up against a wall. To get a clean chit and enable Srinivasan contest the BCCI elections - the twice deferred AGM is scheduled on December 17 - will be their first goal. (Srinivasan Slammed by Court, Asks 'How Can BCCI Chief Own IPL Team?')

The probe report has charged Srinivasan with "covering up" Meiyappan's role. The judges said: "We don't expect people to stand up and confess. There could be corollaries and consequences arising from the inferences contained in the report. That you cannot escape." On Tuesday, the judges event went to the extent of terming Meiyappan's leaking team information to "insider trading." (Srinivasan, Meiyappan Named in Mudgal Report)

Salve is expected to make a strong and steady start and enforce through his argument that "BCCI (read Srinivasan) will have to keep their own standards of transparency and cleaning a house." It could be another long day of exchanges and the odds are clearly stacked against N. Srinivasan and his loyalists. There is unlikely to be one order covering all the "misdemeanours" listed by the probe report. Orders could come in portions and the possibilities could be many. (Tendulkar Tight-Lipped Over Mudgal Report)