The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today served a third showcause notice to suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi. “A notice has been served to Modi over theatrical rights in IPL,” BCCI sources said.
In November 2009, Entertainment and Sports Direct (ESD) had won the theatrical rights for IPL matches till 2019. ESD had made the highest bid of Rs 330 crore for the rights. According to sources, BCCI has found irregularities in the bidding process.
Modi was earlier served two notices: the first notice was issued — soon after the conclusion of the third season and his suspension as IPL commissioner and chairman —following allegations of irregularities in the running of the T20 tournament and the second based on an e-mail from the ECB alleging that he was trying to activities by Modi that are “detrimental to Indian cricket, English cricket and world cricket at large.”
Modi has already replied to the first showcause notice on May 15, wherein his lawyers have claimed that all allegations made against him were baseless. Modi was expected to reply to the second showcause notice on Monday, May 31.
Govt looking at changes in law to tame entities like BCCI
The government is considering legislative action to bring all-India organisations such as the BCCI within the purview of the Societies Registration Act to make them more accountable.
"I am looking at whether it is possible to have a central registry for societies that are registered for all-India purposes," Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said when asked what steps his ministry was taking to make societies, like the BCCI, more accountable, especially after the IPL fiasco.
The ministry, he added, is also planning to set up an expert group to study and workout the details of the changes.