BCCI backs Srinivasan, Raman; fixes AGM for December 17

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, on Tuesday, decided to hold its much-delayed Annual General Meeting on December 17 even as it stood firmly behind its embattled president-in-exile Narayanaswami Srinivasan, who is also chairman of the International Cricket Council, after he was cleared of charges of match-fixing in the Indian Premier League by the Supreme Court-appointed probe committee.

The decision was taken at an Emergent Working Committee meeting, where the Board also supported IPL CEO Sundar Raman, who is accused of being in touch with a bookie's contact in the Justice Mudgal Committee probe report.

"The working committee postponed the 85th Annual General Meeting of the BCCI, originally scheduled to be held on November 20. The meeting now will be held on December 17, 2014 at 11:30 am, at Park Sheraton, Chennai," read a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

It backed Srinivasan, who has also been cleared of allegations that he tried to subvert the probe, saying the charges against him were aimed at destabilizing the Board.

"The members noted the conclusions in the final report of the Mudgal committee and felt that there is no taint on the conduct of Mr Srinivasan and the allegations levelled against him by unscrupulous elements were baseless and were aimed at destabilising the working of the BCCI," the statement added.

The working committee also heard Raman's explanation on the charges against him in the report submitted to the Supreme Court.

The statement said: "Members were given a copy of the final report of the Justice Mudgal committee and the conclusions were explained and discussed.

"Sundar Raman gave his explanation relating to his role with reference to the conclusion relating to him in the report of Mudgal committee. The members heard his explanation and decided that the Board should support Mr Sundar Raman to represent himself before the Supreme Court."

The Mudgal report, while clearing Srinivasan of serious charges, however, said he did not act against an unnamed cricketer accused of misconduct, while his son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra were guilty of betting. The observation could mean trouble for their respective teams, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

The three-member committee confirmed Meiyappan was a team official (Team Principal) of Chennai Super Kings while Kundra's "infractions violated BCCI/IPL Anti Corruption Code".

Kundra has denied the allegations.

The Committee -- headed by retired High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal, with Additional Solicitor General L Nageshwar Rao and senior advocate Nilay Dutta as members, also held that Meiyappan was involved in betting but not match-fixing.

The Supreme Court's hearing on the matter will resume on November 24.