Probe Modi's stake: Farooq

Union Minister Farooq Abdullah is not in favour of removing Lalit Modi from IPL Commissioner's post in the wake of the Kochi franchise controversy but said his powers should be curbed by the BCCI president.

Union Minister Farooq Abdullah is not in favour of removing Lalit Modi from IPL Commissioner's post in the wake of the Kochi franchise controversy but said his powers should be curbed by the BCCI president.

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Abdullah, who is also the President of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, said Modi had to come clean on the stakes held by some of his relatives.

"No, I would not be in favour of it (removal from the post of chairmanship). But I would want the BCCI president to also exert a dominant power.

"It is not about downsizing him but it is about (having) checks and balances," he told Karan Thapar in Devil's Advocate Programme on CNN-IBN.

Abdullah also felt that Modi would have to clarify as to how the IPL Digital rights have been owned by his relatives.

"First of all, it is going to hit him. He will have to explain whether he was involved in giving the rights to them."

Asked whether an explanation should be sought by the BCCI from Modi in this Digital rights issue, he said, "Yes, strongly. Whether he has played played a role to get them (for his relatives). If they have got it on their own, it’s ok."

Govt can’t take over BCCI: Madras HC

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court dismissed a PIL seeking a direction to the Union Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Welfare and Finance ministry to take over administration of the cricket board to promote the game effectively and transparently.

Justices F M Ibrahim Kalifullah and K B K Vasuki said if the petitioner felt the BCCI was not meeting the objectives of society, then he could complain to the registrar of societies. "If they violated income tax rules, then the same could be taken up with the I-T department," the court said.