Lalit Modi to Face Disciplinary Panel

Providing a major setback to any minimal chances of a fair trial, the Bombay High Court rejected Lalit Modi’s petition seeking an independent trial. Modi now has to face the BCCI disciplinary committee, one which was termed to be biased by Modi’s lawyers.The court had heard both the parties on Wednesday, July 14th, and in its decision today rejected the claims of Virag Tulzhapurkar, the lawyer of Lalit Modi.

Last week Modi had trained his guns against the BCCI’s biased decisions. He had specially vented his anger on BCCI Secretary, N Srinivasan and similarly on present IPL chief Chirayu Amin. Modi’s lawyer, acting as his mouthpiece let his dissatisfaction known in the presence of the above mentioned people in the BCCI disciplinary committee. BCCI lawyer A Sundaram, argued that the BCCI was a society and thus Modi’s case was an internal matter. The decision to initiate inquiry and set up a disciplinary committee was that of the general body and not the IPL governing council.

The three members Disciplinary Committee set up by the BCCI consists of present IPL chief Chirayu Amin, BCCI Vice- President Arun Jaitley and Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industries, Jyotiraditya Scindia. The report will be prepared by the Committee by the end of September. The Committee is probing charges of corruption, indiscipline, and money laundering against the dethroned chief of Indian Premier League.

Earlier under the high handed support of Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, Modi had been bestowed with unquestionable authority. Modi nonchalantly flaunted his wealth, be it his office at the Rambagh Palace Hotel at Jaipur, or his 13 seater Bombardier Challenger 300 Jet. It was of no doubt that India Today in its March 2008 issue ranked Modi as one of the most powerful Indians.

And power corrupts, so it did. While facing serious charges from the BCCI, Modi will find it tough to accept this fall from power.

By: Soubhik Ray