Heads roll over IPL imbroglio

Heads have begun to roll in the Indian Premier League imbroglio well before the various agencies probing the financing of the various franchises have completed their investigations. After the resignation of union minister of state for foreign affairs Sashi Tharoor on Sunday, all reports indicate that IPL commissioner and chairman Lalit Modi will resign after the finals on Sunday 25 April, if not sooner.

Reports also indicate that Board of Control of Cricket in India president Sashank Manohar is in New Delhi and will meet union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar – the eminence grise of Indian cricket – later today to brief him about the developments and ask him not to defend Modi. In a decision that will probably rub salt into Modi's wounds, it is his arch-rival Manohar who is tipped to be the new head the IPL, which functions as a sub-committee of the BCCI. Modi too has landed in Delhi from Dubai today to meet Pawar, considered to be his mentor.

Meanwhile Tharoor, who is at the hub of the controversy over helping his friend Sunanda Pushkar get 'sweat equity' in the new Kochi franchise, managed to make a statement in the Lok Sabha today defending his position. However, he did not seem to add anything new or substantial to what he has already said before his resignation.

Tharoor said that he had asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to order an inquiry into the allegations against him in connection with the Kochi IPL franchise. "I have done nothing improper, unethical and much less illegal ... I have requested the prime minister to investigate thoroughly the charges against me,'' he said.

Tharoor said he was deeply wounded by the ''malicious and fanciful'' charges. ''It is important to me that my name is cleared, which has been besmirched,'' Tharoor said. "I am new to Indian politics, but I have a long record in public service and have an unblemished record.

"I have no desire to be an embarrassment to the government," Tharoor said. "I am determined to do my best for India and the ideals that brought me here. I'm proud to represent Kerala's capital in the Lok Sabha," the MP from Thiruvananthapuram read from a prepared speech.

The ousted minister, however, did not directly rebut the charges leveled against him by IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.