Less than 48 hours ahead of the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI), the noose around its president N Srinivasan has been tightened with the Supreme Court directed “he won’t be allowed to take control till it decides on his fate.”
This clearly puts pressure on Srinivasan not to seek a third year as BCCI president in the light of his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, who was team principal of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings, being charged by Mumbai police with betting during this year’s Indian Premier League.
There is a strong possibility that the Sunday’s AGM could be postponed as the SC ruling has put the BCCI in a hugely embarrassing position. Enjoying a comfortable majority within the state associations, the outcome of the election is hardly in doubt if he contests the elections. The SC, while allowing Srinivasan to contest the election, has nevertheless clipped his wings by stating “he can only discharge his duties after the Court decides on his fate.”
Srinivasan’s lawyers argued that his daughter chose his son-in-law and not him. But he failed to explain Meiyappan’s presence at the CSK team dug-out during the IPL matches. During the hearing, a bench headed by Justice AK Patnaik remarked: “Why he is in charge (as the BCCI president) if his son-in-law is chargesheeted? Why are you (Srinivasan) so keen to be elected?” Even if Srinivasan took no time to demote his son-in-law from the post of “team principal” to a mere “cricket enthusiast”, no one, including the Apex Court, is ready to take his argument seriously. Mumbai police has chargesheeted Meiyappan for various crimes, including betting on his own team matches.
The court directed the matter be listed for Monday.
Cricket Association of Bihar secretary Aditya Verma on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain Srinivasan from getting re-elected as the president of the BCCI on the ground that his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan is facing probe on the allegations of spot fixing and betting.
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