Modi's lawyer says BCCI has flouted own rules

Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi's lawyer Mehmood Abdi reacted to the BCCI's decision to retain the three-member disciplinary committee, probing charges against his client, at a Special General Meeting today.

The Cricket Board has flouted its own rules again, said former IPL chairman Lalit Modi's lawyer Mehmood Abdi while reacting to the BCCI's decision to retain the three-member disciplinary committee, probing charges against his client, at a Special General Meeting on Saturday.

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"The BCCI has violated its own constitution. As per the bye-laws of the Board, the president (Shashank Manohar) should be one of its members," said Abdi after the Board retained Chirayu Amin, Arun Jaitley and Jyotiraditya Scindia in the panel probing allegations of financial irregularities against Modi.

Interestingly, the previous committee that started its probe against Modi had Manohar as one of its members but the Board chief recused himself from the proceedings and was replaced by Scindia following the contention by Modi that he (Manohar) was biased against him.

But the committee's proceedings got stalled following the objection raised by Abdi that it did not have the mandate of the General Body that met on September 29 and the BCCI convened a SGM today to reconstitute the disciplinary body.

Abdi contended last month that the Board's General Body forgot to appoint a new disciplinary committee to replace the old one whose term ended on that day.

"What an irony that an irregularly constituted committee will probe into alleged irregularities," commented Abdi, adding the Modi camp had attended earlier hearings of the previous committee with the rider -- "without prejudice to our rights and claims."

"We will agitate (against) these complex legal issues at the appropriate time and forum," he added.