Time has come for 'Swachh BCCI Abhiyan', says petitioner in IPL fixing case

Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary Aditya Verma, who is the petitioner in the Indian Premier League spot-fixing case, on Monday called for the cleaning of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), adding that the time had come for the start of a 'Swachh BCCI Abhiyan'.

"The way the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has started, the same way I think that the time has come for the Swacch BCCI Abhiyan," Verma told the media here.

Speaking of the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court, Verma said that the apex court has invited the BCCI and its president N Srinivasan to name the others accused in the cases.

"Today, the Supreme Court, after taking cognizance of the Justice Mudgal Report, had called the BCCI and its president N Srinivasan for the hearing. The court invited the BCCI to name the others accused in the case." Verma said.

"Our council argued that covering up corruption is in turn corruption itself," he added.

Verma further talked of a case which he has filed against the BCCI in the Bombay High Court, accusing Srinivasan of pursuing a matter of conflict of interest by the promotion of his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan.

"In his first deposition before the court, N Srinivasan had referred to his son-in-law merely as a 'well-wisher' of the BCCI. However, it has been proved that Gurunath Meiyappan is the co-owner of the Chennai team. With regards to this, I have filed a motion of conflict of interest in the Bombay High Court, the hearing for which will take place tomorrow," he said.

"The BCCI had appealed for a stay in that case, but today the Supreme Court stated that that case may go ahead in the High Court." Verma added.

Verma also told the media of the apex court's decision to not allow Srinivasan to participate in the upcoming BCCI elections.

"The court also has decreed that Srinivasan will not be allowed to stand for elections in the next BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is scheduled to be held on November 20," he said.

"The names in the 35-page submission of the Mudgal Report will only be revealed on the discretion of the court," he added.

On March 25, the court had told Srinivasan to step down from his position as BCCI president in order to ensure a fair investigation into the betting and spot-fixing charges levied against his Meiyappan, the team principal of Chennai Super Kings.

The BCCI does not recognize the CAB and Verma, who had filed the public interest litigation (PIL) against the cricketing body last year, accusing it of corruption.