Ex-IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi's last hopes for staying BCCI's SGM to consider a disciplinary panel report on him for alleged financial irregularities in the cricket league were today dashed with the Supreme Court refusing to interfere in the matter.
After the Delhi High Court yesterday allowed BCCI to hold the Special General Meeting (SGM), Modi, facing the threat of life ban from the Indian Cricket Board, rushed to the apex court which dismissed his plea, saying it is an internal matter of the cricketing body.
A bench of justices H L Gokhale and J Chelameshwar asked Modi to appear at the SGM and give an explanation on the allegations levelled against him.
"Anybody who has been issued notice should go and give explanation. You may be exonerated or be given lighter punishment. Anything can happen. You go in the meeting and give explanation," the bench said.
"It(BCCI) is an internal management of society and we cannot keep interfering in it. Its a total matter of internal management," the bench further said.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Modi, contended that the convening of meeting itself is illegal as it can be done only by the BCCI president and there is no president for the Board at the moment.
The bench, however, was not satisfied with his arguments and dismissed the plea.
"Just because big shot and big money are involved in the case, court should not interfere in the matter," the bench said.
The apex court said that Modi may challenge any decision taken against him at the meeting before appropriate forum.
