Have you Invested Money in Cricket Only for the Love of the Game? Supreme Court Asks N. Srinivasan
BCCI president-in-exile N. Srinivasan and his varied interests as an owner of an IPL team have evoked serious observations by the Supreme Court.
Over one-and-a half years while hearing the IPL 2013 corruption case, the Supreme Court has made some telling observations on India's cricket administrators, chiefly it's president N. Srinivasan. (Judgement day for Srinivasan, CSK)
The top court also made scathing remarks with now-retired Justice A.K. Patnaik even calling Srinivasan's reluctance to step down as BCCI supremo, "nauseating." (Top 10 developments of IPL scandal)
The case dates back to June 2013. Aditya Verma, secretary of the Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB), filed a PIL in Bombay High Court raising charges of a conflict of interest in the Board's two-member inquiry panel probing corruption in IPL. (IPL spot-fixing saga - a timeline)
The Bombay High Court declared the probe "illegal". The BCCI and the CAB went to the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court order. Verma's lawyers said the Bombay court could have suggested a fresh mechanism to investigate the charges of corruption.
In October 2013, the Supreme Court appointed a three-member committee, headed by former High Court judge Mukul Mudgal. The panel included additional solicitor general L Nageswara Rao and senior advocate Nilay Dutta. The Supreme Court wanted the panel to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, India Cements, and Rajasthan Royals team owner Raj Kundra. The team was also asked to probe allegations of betting and spot-fixing in IPL and the involvement of players.
Following are top 10 observations made by the judges:
1. May 23, 2014
"How did he stay on despite all the allegations? His staying on is nauseating for cricket... It seems that Mr Srinivasan has not taken the allegations seriously." -- Supreme Court Justice AK Patnaik on N. Srinivasan's refusal to step down as BCCI President despite facing a barrage of allegations.
2. November 24, 2014
"Your duty as 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. Is this not a conflict?" -- Justices TS Thakur and FMI Kalifulla on N. Srinivasan's dual role as President of the BCCI and the Managing Director of India Cements, the company that owns Chennai Super Kings franchise
3. "Recognition comes when one lakh people turn up at Eden Gardens to watch a match. That recognition is not because of Srinivasan. The benefit of doubt must go to the game rather than the individual." -- The Supreme Court on fans paying to watch cricket at a stadium.
4. "We expect you to challenge the Mudgal report and call it useless. We don't expect people to stand up and confess." -- The Supreme Court on BCCI and N. Srinivasan's lawyers questioning the findings by the court-appointed inquiry committee headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee
5. November 27, 2014
"What is more valuable to Mr Srinivasan? Is it his office or his team? ... The distinction between Mr Srinivasan and India Cements is getting to a vanishing point." -- The Supreme Court on N. Srinivasan's many roles.
6. December 1, 2014
"Why are you taking his name? Dropping names of unconnected individuals in not permitted". -- The Supreme Court asks why the name of Arun Jaitley, India's finance and information and broadcasting minister, is repeatedly brought up in the courtroom by Srinivasan's counsel Kapil Sibal.
7. "Either there is a conflict of interest or there is no conflict of interest. There is no third truth." -- The Supreme Court on conflict of interest issue.
8. December 8, 2014
"Who should be allowed to fight (the BCCI election)? People who are subject to a matter of inquiry, people who are indicted by the commission? Should they proceed to capture the BCCI once again?" -- The Supreme Court on N Srinivasan's urgency to seek re-election as BCCI president.
9. December 9, 2014
"We can understand your passion for the game but not so much passion...Have you invested money in cricket only for the love of the game? Business is business." -- The Supreme Court tells N. Srinivasan on contesting BCCI elections.
10. December 10, 2014
"It doesn't make a difference, betting is betting. You should have ensured you are not surrounded by people who bet." The Supreme Court to the India Cements lawyer on Gurunath Meiyappan betting in IPL games.