Board extends deadline for Lalit Modi

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has given Lalit Modi a five-day extension to reply to the showcause notice served on him. The 15-day deadline, originally set for the reply, ended on Monday.

“We are not in a hurry,” said a Board official. “We have six months to finish off the case,” he said. Modi was suspended on April 26, soon after the conclusion of the 2010 IPL final.

In an email to BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, Modi stated that he had not received some documents he had asked for. The Board agreed to his demand. It was not known what kind of documents.

Modi, by inference, questioned the Board’s basing of the charges on unsubstantiated allegations, complaints and innuendos like the Kochi agreement being signed only after a directive from the Board chief, some of the deals being finalised without the knowledge of the IPL Governing Council and his holding proxy stakes in three IPL franchisees.

He also referred to a broad-spectrum charge that the BCCI chief has been receiving messages and requests from senior office-bearers, highly reputed public figures and renowned players expressing their anguish over the loss of image of the Board and the game.

Modi said in his email that the Board should furnish all the documents he had asked for or state in writing that except the documents supplied to him through emails of April 27 and May 7, no other document or material will be relied upon or used against him.

“I refer to the previous correspondence. By my email dated 3rd May, 2010, I had requested that with a view to ensuring that I have a fair opportunity of responding to the allegations in the Show Cause Notice I be provided with copies of all material which you intend to rely upon and use against me,” Modi said in his Sunday email which is in possession of IANS.

As Modi and his detractors in the Board continued their war of words, exchanging emails and documents, it is clear that both are waiting to see who blinks first.

After Manohar acceded to Modi’s request for an extension, another official saw the move as “dilatory tactics” by the suspended IPL boss. A Modi camper retorted: How could you ask anyone to defend himself by tying both his hands at the back?”

“The Board may think any wild allegation will stick to Modi without realising that there are certain norms to be followed if one has to be given a fair trial whatever be the ultimate outcome,” a state unit secretary, who feels that thanks to Modi all associations have immensely benefited financially, told IANS.

Referring to Srinivasan’s earlier email, Modi wrote: “By your reply dated 6th May, 2010, you forwarded to me documents described in the list attached thereto. However, you also stated that: ‘If there is any other specific document that you still require and you feel it is in our possession, please let us know with regard to the same so that an adequate response to your request can be given.’”

Modi said after going through the documents running into hundreds of pages, he found that several vital documents referred to in the charges were missing.
Listing some of the charges point by point, Modi asked Srinivasan to provide him the documents which were referred to in the showcause notice.