The noose is tightening around Lalit Modi, the suspended Indian Premier League chairman.
On Tuesday, four witnesses, three from England and one from South Africa, appeared in front of the Indian cricket board’s disciplinary committee and presented evidence in sworn affidavits relating to
specific charges against Modi.
What were the charges and additional evidence?
Charge: While seeking bids for the two new IPL teams earlier this year, Modi inserted a new condition in the tender document: only companies whose net worth was at least $1 billion would be eligible to bid
Witness: Peter Griffiths, a senior vice-president of the International Management Group, which conceptualised and organised the IPL with Modi, said the clauses were included at Modi’s behest. He said when the tender documents were put before the Governing Council in December 2009, they did not include the clause. It is the BCCI’s contention that Modi had this clause inserted in order to disqualify some bidders and unfairly favour others.
Charge: There are irregularities surrounding Jaipur's Rajasthan Royals. While the bid for the team was originally submitted by Emerging Media IPL Pvt. Ltd., the franchise was awarded to Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt,. Ltd.
Witness: John Loffhagen, director of legal services at IMG, and a man who worked closely on drawing up many of the contracts involving the IPL, said no documents had been submitted linking Jaipur IPL and Emerging Media at the time of the bid. He indicated the franchise was awarded at Modi's instruction.
Charge: An $80 million (Rs 368 crore) “facilitation fee” was paid by Multi Screen Media, Singapore, to World Sports Group, Mauritius (the original telecast right holders for the Indian subcontinent), widely reported to be a kickback to Modi.
Witness: Paul Manning, a vice-president of IMG, stated that he had warned Modi against allowing such a clause in the contract, as it would be “detrimental to the interests of the BCCI”. The clause was specifically inserted by Modi.
Charge: Modi tried to arm-twist the Kochi IPL team to give up their successful bid for one of the two new teams.
Witness: Premchand Tahilramani, appearing on behalf of the owners of the Kochi team, stated unequivocally that Modi, on two separate occasions, tried to force his consortium to give up claims to a team, naming the dates and places at which they met at which Modi tried to pressure him as well as the threats he issued.
As first reported by the Hindustan Times, Tahilramani alleged that Modi said he would do away with the salary cap for hiring players, thereby ensuring that a new team’s costs would spiral unmanageably. He said Modi also said he would instigate public interest litigations against the ongoing construction of a stadium in Kochi, thereby delaying the group from establishing a home venue
Finally, Modi is accused of saying that he would put in place a system by which the existing eight franchises could retain six players, leaving the Kochi team with no realistic chance of signing up any stars..Tahilramani stated that his group went ahead and signed on the dotted line despite Modi’s threats, and while they were doing so Modi disclosed the shareholding pattern of the Kochi franchise.