Dalmiya mum on charge sheet slapped on Srinivasan

The Indian cricket board's interim chief, Jagmohan Dalmiya, Tuesday evaded queries on the CBI charge-sheeting self-exiled board president Narayanaswamy Srinivasan in a corruption case, saying he had "no knowledge about it".

"I have no knowledge. I don't know anything. How can I comment," Dalmiya asked, while speaking to IANS.

However, a source close to Dalmiya said there was no need for the BCCI to come into the picture, as the matter related to business dealings and was not connected to the game of cricket.

"First of all it has happened in Hyderabad in relation to some business matters. Had the charge sheet been given in connection with some matters connected to cricket, like the betting and spot-fixing cases now beign dealt with by Delhi and Maharashtra Police, we could have taken note of it," the source said.

"But there is no connection to cricket. Why should the BCCI be dragged into it"? Such things unrelated to cricket are unlikely to become an issue in Srinivasan presiding over the Sep 29 Annual General Meeting of the board, or in his seeking another term in office," he said.

However, Cricket Association of Bengal treasurer Biswarup Dey said the BCCI's image will take a beating because of the charge sheet, though it was unlikely to affect his position in the board.

"Yes, such charge sheets given to one of its top officials affect the image of the board. It will also hurt Srinivasan's image," Dey told IANS.

"But will not adversely affect his (Srinivasan's) position in the board," he said.

The CBI charge-sheet against Srinivasan relates to a corruption case involving YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

In the charge-sheet relating to India Cements, the CBI named Srinivasan, its managing director, as the accused number three.

The CBI stated that India Cements allegedly invested Rs.140 crore in Jagan's businesses in return for the benefits it received from the then Andhra Pradesh government that was headed by Jagan's father, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who was killed in a helicopter crash in 2009.