Justice R. M Lodha, who is heading the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to decide the fate of the IPL franchises Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), on Tuesday found CSK and RR team officials Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra guilty as charged of misconduct related to heavy betting in the Indian Premier League, and of bringing the game of cricket as well as the Board of Control for Cricket in India into disrepute.
Announcing his verdict, Justice Lodha said that Meiyappan, the son-in-law of formner BCCI chief N.Srinivasan, is banned for five years from particpation in any form of activity related to cricket and also suspended for life from having any role in the game.
Justice Lodha said that Meiyappan's misconduct has been proven, and added that he had engaged in heavy and multiple acts of betting that had damaged the reputation of the game of cricket, the BCCI and the IPL.
A similar verdict was issued in the name of Raj Kundra, the co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals IPL franchise.
THe CSK franchise has been suspended from the IPL for a period of two years.
Justice Lodha said that the panel had examined all the facts and worked to the best of its ability.
"We have worked to the best our ability," Lodha told the media here.
The committee pronounced the punishment against CSK, RR and their team officials Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra for betting during the eighth edition of the IPL tournament. Further details are awaited.
