You are killing the game of cricket: SC lambasts BCCI

According to reports, during the hearing on Monday in the IPL betting scandal case, the two-member special bench said: "You can't make a distinction between BCCI and IPL. IPL a is a by-product of BCCI."

Making some stringent observations over the report submitted by the Mudgal panel, the judges said: "Some people who are in BCCI now own a team. Now it has become a mutual benefit society."

They added: "If people know that a game is fixed who will visit the stadium? In India, cricket is like a religion. Recognition comes when one lakh people in Eden Gardens applaud."

"Benefit of doubt should go in favour of game rather than any individual," the judges said.

ICC Chairman Srinivasan is seeking a nod from the Supreme Court to seek re-election as BCCI president during the BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is scheduled on December 17.

The BCCI lawyers argued that there is no conflict of interest because Bombay High Court had dismissed this issue.

But the top court said: "The ownership of team raises conflict of interest. President of BCCI has to run the show but you have a team which raises questions and it can't be wished away".

BCCI also argued that the Mudgal committee, that probed allegations of match fixing and betting in the 2013 edition of IPL, has cleared him of all charges levelled against him.

On this issue, the bench said: "One of the employees (Meiyappan) of your team was involved in betting. You have to reply because it will affect the position and the dignity of BCCI president position."

Supreme Court's today's observations have reportedly put his future as a cricket administrator in the country in jeopardy.

Srinivasan, who has been suspended as BCCI president by the Supreme Court till investigations into corruption in IPL were over, owns Chennai Super Kings.

His son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, identified as a team principal by the inquiry panel headed by former judge Justice Mukul Mudgal, has been indicted for betting.

The judges remarked, "We take the findings of Justice Mudgal committee's report as gospel truth," SC said, adding that the board needs to rid the sport of fixing menace."

"If you allow these things to happen, then you are killing the game of cricket. Cricket must be played in its true spirit and should remain a gentleman's game," the bench observed.

The court raised questions on the partiality of BCCI in taking action against its administrators who are prima facie seemed to be involved in the IPL scam.

Supreme Court is examining the Justice Mukul Mudgal report on corruption in IPL 2013.

The Mudgal Committee, which had submitted its report on November 17 had said that N Srinivasan, along with four other BCCI officials, was aware of the violation of the Players Code of Conduct by a player mentioned as 'Individual 3' in Mudgal report, but no action was taken by any of them.

Earlier, on Nov 14, the Supreme Court had revealed the names of Srinivasan, his son-in-law Meiyappan, Kundra and Sundar Raman among the non-players, who were being probed when Justice Mudgal submitted his first report in February.

Srinivasan was indicted by the probe committee for not acting against the cricketer while his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra were found guilty of betting that could leave their teams CSK and RR in trouble.

BCCI President-in-exile N. Srinivasan is among 13 persons under the scanner.

It has been learnt that while the BCCI told the apex court they would take action against all those mentioned in the report through an in-house committe, the Supreme Court wasn't convinced and immediately questioned as to what was the guarantee that the members of the committee would not be corrupt.

Last week, the BCCI decided to stand behind N Srinivasan and IPL COO Sundar Raman, after an emergency working committee meeting on November 18.

The BCCI, aslo requested SC not to divulge the whole report as careers of cricketers will be affected.