Salve bouncer puts Dhoni under scanner
For the first time, the India cricket captain’s name cropped up officially in the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal.
New Delhi: Away from the floodlights of Dhaka and Friday’s World T20 match against Bangladesh, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s mind would be preoccupied with what’s happening in New Delhi rather than a passage to the semi-finals.
For on Friday, the Supreme Court could deal a severe blow to his career and the carefully build image. Because on Thursday, for the first time, the India cricket captain’s name cropped up officially in the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal.
And after BCCI president N Srinivasan, his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan, it was Dhoni’s turn to face the heat in the Supreme Court. Senior lawyer Harish Salve, representing Bihar Cricket Association secretary Aditya Verma who demanded a probe into the scandal, argued that Dhoni was “corrupt” as he indulged in a “cover-up” and “gave false statement” before the Mudgal committee regarding the role of Meiyappan with Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
DAMAGING
The Mudgal report had stated: “MS Dhoni, N Srinivasan and officials of India Cements took the stand that Meiyappan had nothing to do with the cricketing affairs of CSK and was a mere cricket enthusiast supporting CSK.”
Salve said that Dhoni, by terming Meiyappan as a cricket enthusiast, tried to ensure that he got immunity after indulging in betting as mere “enthusiasts” cannot be punished for betting but team officials can, for they come under the ambit of anticorruption action.
“We found that most people associated with cricket did say he was a team official. He was at the auction. We have concluded that he was a team official and team officials are forbidden from betting,” the Mudgal report said.
Salve argued: “Indian cricket captain and CSK captain Dhoni is also the vice-president of India Cements, owned by BCCI president Srinivasan, who is the father-in-law of Meiyappan, and this is how conflict of interest arises. In the face of such allegations, Chennai Super Kings must be suspended.”
Salve argued that the Mudgal committee demolished the argument of Meiyappan being “only an enthusiast” by finding conclusive evidence that he was the de-facto head of CSK.
NAILING LIES
According to the Mudgal panel report: “Representatives of India Cements, who appeared before the committee, contended that Meiyappan had no share holding in India Cements and hence cannot be considered as an owner of CSK. Further, Dhoni, Srinivasan and officials of India Cements took the stand that Meiyappan, had nothing to do with the cricketing affairs of Chennai Super Kings and was a mere cricket enthusiast supporting CSK. However, while conducting its probe, the committee sought to ascertain from persons it had interacted with, as to what was the role and position of Meiyappan in CSK. It came to light that Meiyappan would be with the team (CSK) during the practice sessions, would be present during team meetings, at the auction table, in the owners dug out, participated in the IPL owners’ meet, travelled with the team, participated in the IPL owners’ workshop representing himself to be the owner of CSK and held out to the world at large as the Team Principal/Team Owner of CSK.”
For on Friday, the Supreme Court could deal a severe blow to his career and the carefully build image. Because on Thursday, for the first time, the India cricket captain’s name cropped up officially in the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal.
And after BCCI president N Srinivasan, his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan, it was Dhoni’s turn to face the heat in the Supreme Court. Senior lawyer Harish Salve, representing Bihar Cricket Association secretary Aditya Verma who demanded a probe into the scandal, argued that Dhoni was “corrupt” as he indulged in a “cover-up” and “gave false statement” before the Mudgal committee regarding the role of Meiyappan with Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
DAMAGING
The Mudgal report had stated: “MS Dhoni, N Srinivasan and officials of India Cements took the stand that Meiyappan had nothing to do with the cricketing affairs of CSK and was a mere cricket enthusiast supporting CSK.”
Salve said that Dhoni, by terming Meiyappan as a cricket enthusiast, tried to ensure that he got immunity after indulging in betting as mere “enthusiasts” cannot be punished for betting but team officials can, for they come under the ambit of anticorruption action.
“We found that most people associated with cricket did say he was a team official. He was at the auction. We have concluded that he was a team official and team officials are forbidden from betting,” the Mudgal report said.
Salve argued: “Indian cricket captain and CSK captain Dhoni is also the vice-president of India Cements, owned by BCCI president Srinivasan, who is the father-in-law of Meiyappan, and this is how conflict of interest arises. In the face of such allegations, Chennai Super Kings must be suspended.”
Salve argued that the Mudgal committee demolished the argument of Meiyappan being “only an enthusiast” by finding conclusive evidence that he was the de-facto head of CSK.
NAILING LIES
According to the Mudgal panel report: “Representatives of India Cements, who appeared before the committee, contended that Meiyappan had no share holding in India Cements and hence cannot be considered as an owner of CSK. Further, Dhoni, Srinivasan and officials of India Cements took the stand that Meiyappan, had nothing to do with the cricketing affairs of Chennai Super Kings and was a mere cricket enthusiast supporting CSK. However, while conducting its probe, the committee sought to ascertain from persons it had interacted with, as to what was the role and position of Meiyappan in CSK. It came to light that Meiyappan would be with the team (CSK) during the practice sessions, would be present during team meetings, at the auction table, in the owners dug out, participated in the IPL owners’ meet, travelled with the team, participated in the IPL owners’ workshop representing himself to be the owner of CSK and held out to the world at large as the Team Principal/Team Owner of CSK.”
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