After reports emerged that the BCCI probe came out in favour of Gurunath Meiyappan, Raj Kundra and N Srinivasan, former Indian spinner and current BJP leader Kirti Azad on Sunday said that the BCCI functions like a corporate house having their own vigilance and they decide on such scandals internally, in accordance with their own convenience.
Azad also questioned the BCCI and the key accused in the infamous IPL betting and spot-fixing case, asking if they would move the court for the defamation caused.
"Since it has been decided by the BCCI to not really give a report against people who were called or arrested by the Delhi Police, the BCCI should now go to the police or file a case in the Court for defamation because even Delhi Police couldn't find anything. So we just want to know, will they go ahead now to the Court for defamation? I really hope they do. They better do that" an infuriated Azad said here today.
Commenting on the probe which has been carried out by the BCCI, Azad said that the investigation was not one of objectivity because the BCCI does not have the judicial mechanisms to carry out fair trials as they want to keep the matter within themselves.
Azad said: "They are not an investigating agency. This is all internal. It has become a corporate house where corporates have their own vigilance and are doing it."
According to media reports, BCCI President-in-exile N. Srinivasan is likely to be reinstated at the helm of affairs after a two-judge probe panel found no evidence against the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal which rocked the sixth edition of the sporting event.
The two-member probe panel consisting of former judges T. Jayaram Chouta, R. Balasubramanian, had submitted their report to the BCCI Working Committee on Sunday morning. The Working Committee met to discuss the reports in Kolkata earlier today.
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"There is no evidence of any wrongdoing found by the judges against Raj Kundra, India Cements and Rajasthan Royals. The report will now be forwarded to the IPL Governing Council which will take a final decision when it meets on August 2 in New Delhi," BCCI vice-President Niranjan Shah told reporters.
The BCCI has been inflicted with several controversies after multiple allegations were made against players and owners, as part of the IPL spot-fixing scandal at the tournament's sixth edition.
Amongst those accused, Indian team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni landed himself in the midst of controversy with an alleged conflict of interest during the IPL, after it came to light that that he had 15 per cent stake in Rhiti Sports, which also manages Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Pragyan Ojha, apart from him.
Assuring media persons, at a press conference in Kolkata earlier today, Dalmiya said that there will be a full-fledged probe into the matter. "I had said nothing will be swept under the carpet, even if it is Dhoni", he said.
Dalmiya added that the board had changed its "mode of working" as far as keeping a check on players' conflict of interests was concerned. "We have changed our mode of working. We don't believe you have to be after any player or anybody. Therefore, the players will have to declare their interest in sports management companies. We will see how we can help them," Dalmiya said earlier today.
N. Srinivasan, who owns India Cements, had stepped aside as the BCCI chief after his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, part of the Chennai Super Kings management, was arrested on charges of betting in IPL matches. He was later released on bail.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra was questioned by Delhi Police and was reported to have been betting on IPL matches.
The scandal broke up with the arrest of three cricketers - S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila - amidst IPL 6.