Supreme Court reserves order on plea against ban on IPL franchise CSK

During the hearing, the bench has observed that the findings of Justice R M Lodha panel recommendation for imposing ban on the CSK and RR, has become final

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its order on a PIL by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy challenging the two-year ban imposed on IPL franchisee Chennai Super Kings (CSK) over the 2013 betting scam involving its top official Gurunath Meiyappan.

"We will pass the order," a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said when Swamy claimed that being a cricket lover, he has been deprived of watching the play of CSK whose players have not been accused of any mischief.

The bench, during the hearing, observed that the findings of the Justice R M Lodha panel and its recommendation for imposing ban on the CSK and Rajasthan Royals, has "become final".

 

"The findings of the Committee have become final. We had referred the issue to the Lodha panel and they chose to impose a ban of two years on CSK and this has attained finality," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said.

The court can look into this aspect if it is found that the punishment was "disproportionate" to the offence, it said.

At the outset, Swamy alleged some BCCI officials, including then President Shashank Manohar, Lalit Modi and Aditya Varma of Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) conspired against N Srinivasan, also a former BCCI head.

He said the apex court should seriously look into the allegation that the litigation, pursued by CAB in the High Court and in the apex court, was financed by Lalit Modi.

He also alleged that Modi, Shashank Manohar and others conspired to oust Srinivasan and CSK for hurting Tamil sentiments.

The bench reminded Swamy that Meiyappan, son in law of Srinivasan, was a CSK official and found guilty of betting in IPL and moreover, there was the issue of conflict of interest with regard to Srinivasan as well.

"Ban imposed on CSK is unreasonable, illegal and arbitrary and there were no allegations against either Srinivasan or against any players of CSK. There is nothing against CSK, yet it has been banned for two years," Swamy said adding there have been e-mail exchanges among Modi and others which amply indicated conspiracy in the case.

The Lodha panel had banned CSK and Rajasthan Royals after holding that its top officials like Raj Kundra and Gurunath Meiyappan were found involved in betting.