How clean is IPL COO Sundar Raman? Sunil Gavaskar asks IPL team owners
Sunil Gavaskar, who has been appointed by the Supreme Court as president of BCCI's Indian Premier League affairs, is on a 'Clean Cricket' mission after taking charge.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's interim president Sunil Gavaskar's biggest challenge seems to be cleaning up of the sport. And as a first step after being appointed by the Supreme Court last week, the former Indian Test captain has speed-dialed some of the well-known IPL owners to get a feedback on the league's Chief Operating Officer, Sundar Raman.
ÂÂ
On Monday, the Board sent out a press release saying Gavaskar had a discussion with the franchises on IPL 7 and briefed them on the preparations for the 2014 season. But what exactly was the agenda of the meeting? (Gavaskar's crusade to 'clean' cricket)
NDTV understands the meeting was focused on just one man -- Sundar Raman. It is learnt that Gavaskar personally called a few team owners like Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Mallya and the Ambanis to get a feedback on the man who ran the league ever since it started in 2008. (IPL franchises support Sunil Gavaskar)
The Supreme Court in it's order last week had said that it was up to Gavaskar to decide whether Sundar Raman will continue in IPL 2014. So, why is Sundar Raman under the scanner? (Aditya Verma writes to Sunil Gavaskar against Sundar Raman)
Mumbai Police's transcripts to the Supreme Court inquiry committee, headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal, talks of Sundar Raman's role in passing insider information. Besides, in annexure 15 of the inquiry report submitted to the top court on February 10, the IPL COO is mentioned as someone who used to tip Meiyappan regarding teams. Meiyappan is the son-in-law of now ousted BCCI president, N. Srinivasan. (Gavaskar appointed interim BCCI chief)
Finally, Sundar Raman told the Mudgal panel the ownership structure of the teams is ambiguous, probably in an effort to bolster Chennai Super Kings' claims that Meiyappan wasn't a team owner but just an "enthusiast". Meiyappan has been indicted for betting and sharing team information by the Mudgal committee. (IPL probe report finds Meiyappan guilty)
Harish Salve, the senior counsel for petitioner Cricket Association of Bihar, says, "The annexure 15 of the report filed by the Mudgal committee shows intercept of 15th May, 2013 between Jaipur-based bookie Pawan and Vindoo Dara Singh who was in constant touch with Gurunath Meiyappan. It says that Sundar Raman used to tip Gurunath Meiyappan regarding other teams. If IPL COO is doing such things, it is dangerous for the game of cricket."