Blow for Srinivasan as HC says BCCI probe panel ‘illegal’

In a blow to the Board of Control for Cricket in India - and particularly to N Srinivasan, who was set to return as the cricket board chief - the Bombay High Court today has termed as unconstitutional and illegal the probe panel set up by the BCCI to look into match-fixing in the Indian Premier League tournament.

The panel of two retired judges formed by the BCCI had cleared Srinivasan – whose India Cements owns the Chennai Super Kings team – and his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan of wrongdoing in the spot-fixing scandal.

Meiyappan is out on bail, having been arrested by the Mumbai police in the spot fixing case after he was named by one of the co-accused, Vindoo Dara Singh.

After BCCI set up an internal probe panel to investigate the IPL spot fixing case, the Bihar Cricket Association had filed a petition in the Bombay High court challenging the validity of probe panel.

The court upheld the petition by Bihar Cricket Association and an individual, Naresh Matani, saying, "We find that the manner in which BCCI has constituted a panel under its own rules is illegal and unconstitutional."

The BCCI is expected to appeal against the order in the Supreme Court.  

"The entire incident needs to be re-investigated. There was disparity in the evidence collected by the probe panel," the Bombay High Court said.

The BCCI has not been asked to form a fresh panel, clarified the petitioner's lawyer Ameet Naik. "(The) court made a finding that the panel was illegal. Court has not directed the BCCI to constitute a fresh probe panel. The BCCI was not able to explain the manner in which panel was constituted. We raised the issue of conflict of interest and probe report. Court in its order said that constitution of the panel is illegal," said Naik.

The court's ruling means that Srinivasan may not be able to attend Friday's meeting of the BCCI working committee, its top decision making body. The BCCI had said the probe panel's clean chit means Srinivasan can resume charge.

Srinivasan was banking on the probe panel's clean chit to make a comeback as BCCI president, a position he was forced to relinquish in June after the crime branch of Mumbai police arrested Meiyappan in the spot fixing case.

The BCCI's panel that conducted the probe said in their report that there was no evidence against Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra.

Mumbai police have claimed that Meiyappan admitted to betting in the IPL matches during his interrogation. The police also say that they have got enough evidence against Meiyappan to present in the court.

Mumbai police had refused to share the evidence against Meiyappan with the BCCI's probe panel.

N Srinivasan had claimed earlier that the BCCI probe panel's report would be final and binding. He had also denied any knowledge of his son-in-law's alleged role in betting.