Why not scrap CSK, asks apex court

The Court wondered as to what would happen if CSK franchise, owned by Indian Cements headed by Srinivasan, is scrapped and whether the conflict of interest issue would persist

New Delhi: Uncertainty over the possibility of Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) president-in-exile N Srinivasan making a comeback and the survival of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League deepened on Thursday as the Supreme Court threw suggestions whether those named in the Justice Mudgal Committee report could be kept out of the BCCI elections and whether the CSK franchise could be scrapped.

During the hearing, which stretched for more than three hours, arising out of Mudgal Committee findings, the Court also wondered as to what would happen if CSK franchise, owned by Indian Cements headed by Srinivasan, is scrapped and whether the conflict of interest issue would persist.

A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur also questioned the BCCI over not taking any action against CSK, Rajasthan Royals, the other team whose owner Raj Kundra was allegedly involved in betting, and their officials on the basis of findings of Mudgal Committee report and pulled up the Board for batting for the beleaguered Srinivasan.

The apex court also raised questions on the conflict of interest issue arising out of Srinivasan heading the BCCI and also owning CSK. In a bid to ascertain the ownership of CSK, the Court asked Srinivasan to furnish details of shareholdings and composition of board of directors of India Cements Ltd, which according to him is the owner of the team. Srinivasan is the vice-chairman and managing director of India Cements.