Uncertainty over Srinivasan and CSK deepens

Uncertainty over the possibility of N Srinivasan continuing as cricket boss and the survival of the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL deepened today as Supreme Court threw suggestions whether those named in the Mudgal Committee could keep out of BCCI elections and the CSK's franchise could be scrapped.
During the more than three-hour long hearing arising out of Mudgal Committee findings, the Court also wondered as to what would happen if CSK franchise, owned by Indian Cements headed by Srinivasan, is scrapped and whether the conflict of interest issue would persist.
A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur also questioned the BCCI over not taking any action against CSK, Rajasthan Royals, the other team whose owner Raj Kundra was allegedly involved in betting, and their officials on the basis of findings of Mudgal Committee report and pulled up the Board for batting for the beleaguered Srinivasan.

The apex court also raised questions on the conflict of interest issue arising out of Srinivasan heading the BCCI and also owning CSK.
In a bid to ascertain the ownership of CSK, the Court asked the President-in-exile to furnish details of shareholdings and composition of board of Directors of India Cements Ltd, which according to him is the owner of the team. Srinivasan is the Vice chairman and Managing Director of India Cements.
He and the company, however, accepted before the court that Gurunath Maiyappan, who was arrested for allegedly betting during IPL 6, was an official of CSK. They had earlier described Meiyappan just as a cricket enthusiast who had nothing to do with the team management.