IPL betting case verdict: Meiyappan and Kundra convicted of betting, Srinivasan given clean chit

The honourable Supreme Court of India today gave out its verdict in the IPL betting case.

The court held former Chennai Super Kings team official Gurunath Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra guilty of placing bets on games in IPL. The court also said that there was no proof of any cover up against former BCCI president N.Srinivasan.

But Supreme Court ordered that N.Srinivasan will not be able to contest the BCCI elections on grounds of conflict of interest. It said to Srinivasan that you have to choose between BCCI and IPL.

The rules that permitted officials of the BCCI to have a commercial interest by owning teams in the hugely-popular Indian Premier League and Champions League, was also termed as illegal. A two-member bench of Justices T S Thakur and F M I Khalifulla, said, “Amendment in the BCCI rules allowing Srinivasan to own IPL team is bad as conflict of interest in cricket leads to great confusion.

“No one who has commercial interest, including N Srinivasan, shall be eligible for any post in the BCCI and this disqualification on ground of commercial interest shall continue till such commercial interest will exist,” the bench said, while asking the BCCI to hold its Annual General Meeting for electing office-bearers within six weeks.

Justice Thakur also said that,” Not only players and team officials but “franchisees will also be punished for misconduct”. This put the future of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in danger as IPL rules provide for cancellation of the franchise for misconduct by players, owners and officials of a team.

A committee was formed comprising of former Supreme Court Justices Ashok Bhan and R V Raveendran, who will probe the allegation of betting against BCCI Chief Operating Officer Sunder Raman and if found guilty will award the punishment. They will also decide the quantum of punishment against Meiyappan and Kundra.

Supreme Court bench also asked the committee to probe and submit its report in 6 months and also suggest reforms in the BCCI.The court further said that the BCCI’s functions are “public functions” and as such it is “amenable” to the writ jurisdiction of the high court under Article 226 of the Constitution.

The bench further said that BCCI cannot afford to lose its credibility because of sporting frauds and “all cricket matches must be played on level playing field”. “What goes in the name of game is farce and the game is a game only if it is pristine and free from any sporting fraud.

“There is need to establish institutional integrity within BCCI,” the bench said while concluding the proceedings.