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Thakur denies seeking ICC letter to scuttle report
NEW DELHI: BCCI president Anurag Thakur denied on Monday he approached the ICC for a letter saying a CAG nominee in a reconstituted Apex Council will amount to government
NEW DELHI: BCCI president Anurag Thakur denied on Monday he approached the ICC for a letter saying a CAG nominee in a reconstituted Apex Council will amount to government interference and could lead to the board’s suspension.
In his affidavit before the Supreme Court, however, Thakur admitted raising the issue with ICC chairman Shashank Manohar during the ICC governance review committee meeting on August 6 and 7 in Dubai. But in that meeting he asked Manohar for a clarification on his view over the CAG nominee’s inclusion in the BCCI. Thakur said Manohar had opposed it as BCCI president and he asked whether the latter still held the view as ICC chairman.
DIFFERENT SUBMISSIONS
While Thakur accepted meeting Manohar, BCCI general manager Ratnakar Shetty said no such issue was discussed at the governance meet. Both filed their affidavits subsequent to the October 7 SC order seeking explanations from them. A bench led by Chief Justice TS Thakur gave the directions when it was informed that ICC CEO Dave Richardson had revealed the details of Thakur’s interaction with him during which he had asked for the letter. It was purportedly done to circumvent the SC verdict ordering the inclusion of a CAG nominee in the to-be-constituted Apex Council.
On perusing the affidavits, the bench said they were contradictory, warning BCCI counsel Kapil Sibal that the court might be forced to issue “perjury” proceedings. Sibal denied Thakur had ever spoken to Richardson on the issue.
“You are accusing him of making a false statement. You are saying Richardson is lying”, the CJI told Sibal, who said: “He (Thakur) never spoke to Richardson.”
“You are accusing Dave Richardson of making a false statement. It may amount to perjury,” the CJI responded. To this, Sibal said Thakur was willing to face the proceedings if the allegations against him are proved.
The CJI said: “We will go to the bottom of the case. It is clear defiance and obstruction.”
According to Thakur’s affidavit, in response to his query, Manohar said he took a stand as BCCI president when the matter was still pending in the court.
However, Manohar asked Thakur to appreciate the SC verdict, rejecting the argument that the appointment of a CAG nominee would amount to governmental interference and said ICC felt the direction would bring transparency in the board’s finances.
“I was satisfied with the reply by Manohar,” the affidavit read.
