Cricket Association of Bihar files PIL seeking review of BCCI rules by independent committee

The Cricket Association of Bihar has filed a PIL in Bombay High Court seeking appointment of an independent Governance Review Committee to review the rules and regulations of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleged that in recent times Cricket Board (BCCI) has been used as a medium to serve the personal interest of few persons which includes its former President N Srinivasan.

The PIL, filed by Aditya Verma, Secretary of Cricket Association of Bihar, contended that the rules and regulations of BCCI have also been allegedly tampered with in a manner to further advance their causes and also pointed to the spot-fixng scandal in the IPL. Hence, it sought appointment of a Committee to review the rules and regulations of BCCI.

In April 2013, Special Cell of Delhi Police received secret information that certain members of the underworld were involved in fixing of ongoing cricket matches of the IPL with active participation of some unidentified conduits based in Delhi, said the petition.

Pursuant thereto, Delhi Police started investigating into the said allegations of betting and spot fixing in IPL matches and it came to light that there was across-city bookie-player nexus involving starlets, four other top players nd underworld connections, the PIL said.

On May 16, 2013, three Rajasthan Royals players, S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandalia and Ankit Chavan were detained by Delhi Police for allegations of spot Fixing. BCCI immediately thereafter suspended all the three players, according to PIL. Seven bookies from Mumbai were also detained by the Delhi Police along with the three players. A Delhi Magistrate is now seized of the case.

The petition, expected to come up for hearing in due course, said that the Supreme Court has vide its order dated October 8, 2013, formed an independent fresh Probe Committee headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal (Retd), to go into the complaints against Gurunath Meiyappan, among others, and requested the panel to submit its report.