Following a Supreme Court notice for prima facie perjury on January 2, former BCCI president Anurag Thakur has tendered his unconditional and unequivocal apology.
Thakur is facing perjury charges as the apex court believes he had twice requested International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Shashank Manohar for a letter saying that appointment of a CAG official in BCCI administration would amount to government interference. Manohar refused to give the letter.
An affidavit filed on February 10 through his lawyer, Thakur wrote, “I humbly submit that this was never the intention of the deponent and if this is the impression that has been created, at the outset I tender my unconditional and unequivocal apology.”
He also presented his case with a timeline and the mail exchanged with the ICC that led to a situation in which the court issued him a notice of perjury. It’s up to the Supreme Court to accept or reject his apology. The next hearing on this matter is expected to be in March.
The Bench of former Chief Justice TS Thakur had observed that Thakur had sought a letter from the ICC that was intended to portray that its July 18, 2016 order could be seen by the ICC as government interference.
In its July 18 verdict, the Bench gave its nod to appointing a representative of the CAG in the apex council recommended by the Lodha panel. “You went to the ICC and said ‘give me a letter saying that there will be government interference if there is any government nominee in the BCCI administration’,” Justice TS Thakur had remarked during the hearing on January 2.
{{/usCountry}}In its July 18 verdict, the Bench gave its nod to appointing a representative of the CAG in the apex council recommended by the Lodha panel. “You went to the ICC and said ‘give me a letter saying that there will be government interference if there is any government nominee in the BCCI administration’,” Justice TS Thakur had remarked during the hearing on January 2.
{{/usCountry}}“You asked a letter from the ICC chairman after this court had already pronounced its verdict. We know your intentions,” Justice Thakur had said before issuing a notice of perjury against Thakur.
“The deponent is a public servant having been elected three times as member of parliament, Lok Sabha, and has been in public life from a very early age,” the affidavit urged. “He has highest respect and regards for the honourable court and would never have done anything to undermine the honourable court.”