M A I N   N E W S

Bindra to get BCCI notice

NEW DELHI, May 19 (UNI) — Meeting in the backdrop of the match-fixing controversy, the working committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today decided to issue a show-cause notice to former board president I.S. Bindra for levelling a string of corruption allegations against the apex body and its officials.

BCCI president A.C. Muthiah said the decision was ‘‘unanimous’’ and even Mr Bindra, who was present at the meeting as the Punjab Cricket Association chief, agreed to the decision of being served with the notice. Mr Muthiah said expulsion of Mr Bindra, if required, could be decided only by the general body of the board.

‘‘The board in its wisdom has issued the show-cause notice... The members expressed deep concern on the situation (in the light of the allegations) and questions have been placed to Mr Bindra for his response to the charges,’’ he said emerging from the meeting.

‘‘Mr Bindra would not be able to explain many things because of his confidentiality agreement with the CBI, but wherever he can he will explain,’’ the BCCI president said. ‘‘If the harmonious working and stability of the board is endangered, such action is taken,’’ he said justifying the action.

‘‘Mr Bindra said that he did not intend to tarnish the image of the board. He said he had been misquoted by the media at certain time and some places,’’ Mr Muthiah said touching briefly on what transpired during the day-long meeting.

Mr Muthiah told mediapersons that a three-member committee had been formed to discuss the code of conduct. ‘‘The code of conduct will be for all (players and officials).’’

The committee consisting of Mr Shashank Manohar (Vidarbha), Mr D.B. Subba Rao (Andhra Pradesh) and Mr Ashok Kumbat (Tamil Nadu), had been asked to submit its report at the next working committee scheduled for August.

Mr Muthiah said the suspension of subisidies to the PCA would be reviewed by the board. He said the subsidies had been withheld by a previous committee and Mr Bindra had been asked to furnish information on the issue.

Regarding the questions raised in certain quarters over the matches in Toronto, Singapore and Sharjah in the light of match-fixing allegations, Mr Muthiah said, ‘‘the board is under contract and it has to fulfil it. In future, we can have a fresh look.’’

He said the board will support coach Kapil Dev and some players (against whom match-fixing charges have been made) as long as they are not found guilty. The BCCI president disagreed with Kapil’s views that the team should not take part in international tournaments till the cloud of match-fixing is cleared.

Regarding Mr Bindra’s allegations against International Cricket Council president Jagmohan Dalmiya, Mr Muthiah said the PCA president would have to clarify the matter. Mr Dalmiya, who attended today’s meeting as the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), placed all papers before him (Bindra) and sought clarification, Mr Muthiah said.

One of the board office-bearers told UNI that the ongoing investigations by the CBI into alleged match-fixing in Indian cricket did not come up for discussion at the meeting.

On the core cricketing issues, the board laid emphasis on the domestic competitions and its format. ‘‘Duleep Trophy, Irani Trophy and the Challenger Trophy will be the basis for selection of the national side,’’ Mr Muthiah informed. It will be mandatory for all Test and ODI players to take part in these tournaments and the Ranji Trophy except under some unavoidable circumstances and the board grants them permission.

The Ranji super league is likely to be abolished and the league format re-introduced in Duleep Trophy. Some changes are also expected in the domestic calendar. ‘‘The domestic season is likely to start in second week of October and last till end of April,’’ Mr Muthiah said.

Mr Muthiah said a Mumbai hospital had been authorised by the board to certify the fitness of the players . ‘‘The word of the hospital on the fitness of a player will be final,’’ he said. He said for the junior category also, there would be stringent medical check-up to dispel doubts about age. Besides, the under-14 and under-22 tournaments are also likely to get new formats.

Regarding suggestions by some players of graded payment, Mr Muthiah said the matter had been referred to the board’s finance committee. ‘‘The captain and vice captain will be invited to attend the meeting on the issue,’’ he said.

The board has appointed Mr Naneshwar Agashe as the vice-chairman of the Bangalore-based cricket academy which is headed by its former president Raj Singh Dungarpur.

Mr Muthiah also informed about the board’s decision on e-cricket. The site, to be set up soon, would be a repository of all information relating to cricket, he said. 

N.K. Jain suspended
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 19 — The Haryana Government has suspended former Chandigarh Home Secretary N.K. Jain on his return to his parent cadre. The Union Home Ministry had ordered his repatriation on May 17, a day before his extended police remand in a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act registered by the Special cell of the CBI against him on April 6 expired.

Mr Jain had been on leave since March 21. The suspension orders said that Mr Jain would not leave city without prior permission of the Government and would be stationed at Chandigarh. At present he is in judicial custody. Mr Jain is the first Home Secretary of Chandigarh against whom a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered by the CBI. 

CBI takes Jain’s share certificates
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 19 — The team of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the defence counsel of Home Secretary N.K. Jain came to the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr Sant Parkash, today morning, as directed by the court yesterday.

An inventory of certain documents was prepared in the presence of the presiding officer and the CBI also searched some papers. After scrutiny of documents, the CBI took into possession a few share certificates of Mr Jain and some of his title deeds.