The Mumbai police on Saturday chargesheeted Gurunath Meiyappan, former team principal of Chennai Super Kings and son-in-law of BCCI chief N. Srinivasan, and 21 others for gambling, cheating and criminal conspiracy, in the scam-tainted Twenty20 Indian Premier League case.
Actor Vindoo Dara Singh is another accused, while Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf along with 15 alleged Pakistan-based bookies and two Dubai-based bookies are among the 24 persons shown as wanted accused in the 11,609-page chargesheet that was filed before the additional chief magistrate judge Uday Padwad.
Mr Meiyappan has been accused of compromising confidential information of his team Chennai Super Kings and using the same for betting. He was alleged to have been in constant touch with Mr Vindoo. The crime branch has relied upon several intercepted telephone conversations between the two to corroborate the charges of betting and cheating.
The various calls between Mr Meiyappan and Vindoo revealed that the former CSK team principal leaked key information to Vindoo, who then placed bets on behalf of the former CSK owner.
Vindoo also passed on the information to other bookies. Waiting to be coronated for his third year as the BCCI boss, N. Srinivasan washed his hands off sonin-law Gurunath Meiyappan on a day the former Chennai Super Kings official was named in the Mumbai police's chargesheet.
“This is a matter for Mr Gurunath Meiyappan to deal with. The law will take its own course. He has been suspended (by BCCI) so he has got nothing to do with the game. It is up to him to defend his position, it has got nothing to do with me,“ Srinivasan said. Srinivasan also said BCCI would take appropriate action against Meiyappan if necessary.
“You must realise that various aspects of this case as subjudice. I have not seen the chargesheet and I will ask the secretary of the BCCI to take appropriate action if he finds it necessary. I cannot comment further,“ he added.
Reiterating that he would seek the extension of his presidency at the Annual General Meeting to be held in Chennai, Srinivasan pooh-poohed the talks of `stepping aside' again.
“Why should I? (step aside) I am not disquali fied, neither can you push me out. Unfortunately the press has been trying to take a position on this — I differ from that position, I don’t agree. I will chair the meeting as president and inspite of what you (the media) feel, I may get elected,” said the defiant administrator.
Asked about the twomember probe commission formed by BCCI, Srinivasan refused to talk about it. “For your information, the matter is before the Honourable Supreme Court and I am not going to comment on the matter as it is still subjudice.”