BJP leader Subramanian Swamy came to the rescue of beleaguered Indian Premier League (IPL) outfits Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Monday, challenging their suspension from the multi-million dollar tournament in the Madras High Court.
Swamy has alleged in his petition that the two teams were treated unfairly after former IPL chief Lalit Modi influenced the course of events that culminated in their suspension.
"Entire proceedings before the Bombay high court, the Supreme Court, the Justice Mudgal Committee and the Justice R.M. Lodha Committee, which culminated in the suspension of the CSK and the RR, stand completely vitiated on account of the motivated and vested litigation instituted by the Cricket Association of Bihar," Swamy said in the petition.
"Lalit Modi has been influencing the course of events and this only raised serious concerns regarding the legitimacy of the proceedings before the honourable courts which ultimately culminated in the suspension of CSK and Rajasthan Royals," he added.
The BJP leader also claimed to possess sensitive materials which could be submitted to the court only in sealed envelope to protect the identity of people privy to the issue. According to Swamy, the materials will prove that the two IPL franchises were the victims of an unfair and one-sided adjudication process which led to their suspension.
"The material alarmingly highlights the sacrifice of public interest and the manner in which certain persons as TV media panellists have sought on behalf of their benefactors and special interest to target the leading champions innovator of Twenty-20 cricket, ie CSK," he said.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam has ordered that the matter should be clubbed with other pending cases, including those filed by CSK's new owner, and hear them together.
The issue will be taken up for hearing on September 23.
Swamy also asked the court to quash the Justice R.M. Lodha Committee recommendations and the subsequent action taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
"Enormous injustice was suffered by Tamil Nadu-based champion team, the Chennai Super Kings and its owner, and also the Rajasthan Royals in the course of what is prima facie an unfair and one-sided adjudication process culminating in the suspension of the CSK," Swamy said.
"The single most popular and unsuccessful IPL team, the CSK, stands unfairly from the IPL."
