Sport | Cricket
Modi's career on line as rival digs dirt
All the glory and glamour that Lalit Modi earned following the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) may come crashing down if the court upholds a petition against him by his rival Kishore Rungta.
- By K.R. Nayar, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:04 May 30, 2008
Dubai: All the glory and glamour that Lalit Modi earned following the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) may come crashing down if the court upholds a petition against him by his rival Kishore Rungta.
According to the Hindustan Times daily, Rungta, who lost to Modi in the Rajasthan cricket board elections, has filed a case stating that the high profile commissioner of the IPL was convicted of possessing drugs, kidnapping and assault in the US during his days as a university student.
Rungta managed to get the details of Modi's conviction where he had confessed to committing the offences before a North Carolina court. As per the rules of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, anyone convicted of a criminal offence cannot hold the post of an office bearer.
Should the court uphold Rungta's petition, then Modi will have to step down as the vice president of the BCCI too.
According to Modi's lawyers, their client did not serve the two year jail sentence and was let off on probation since the court had not given a final verdict on his sentencing for possession of drugs.
The power to gain control over the cash-rich BCCI has been on for some time now and Modi had emerged as a hero recently through the successful marketing of the IPL event.
Quick resolution
The anti-Modi group in the BCCI has also quoted Rule 38 (IV) of the BCCI's constitution which says that no person with a criminal record can be an office bearer. In 2005, the Supreme Court had heard a petition challenging Modi's position but Rungta has lately asked for a quick resolution of the appeal.
However, Modi has excellent support from the Bharatiya Janata Party in Rajasthan and is also close to Sharad Pawar, the BCCI President and a powerful Union minister too. The anti-Pawar group led by Jagmohan Dalmiya believes Modi is the brain behind Pawar's success and removing him from the administration can help them regain their control.
If convicted, Modi, who was seen at all the IPL venues during the matches, may then have to get permission from the authorities to gain entry into a cricket stadium.
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