The Delhi high court on Tuesday fixed July 15 for hearing further arguments on former cricketer Ajay Jadeja's plea that the five-year ban on him be lifted so that he can return to domestic and international competition.
Justice Manmohan Sareen, after hearing arguments of Jadeja's counsel Vineet Malhotra and his Board of Control for Cricket in India counterpart C Y Vaidyanathan, directed the BCCI counsel to furnish by July 14 a written synopsis, not exceeding seven pages, of his contention that the arbitrator, judge J K Mehra's ruling, enabling Jadeja to resume playing, was in gross violation of the principles of natural justice.
Vaidyanathan told the judge that he needs four more hours to argue his case and would furnish the requisite documents by July 14.
Earlier, Malhotra argued that the BCCI counsel had sought to unethically delay the case by contending that his father was unwell, despite being present in the hotel where the arbitrator was present.
Later, Malhotra told reporters, "The arguments have begun. We are trying to prove the extent of the falsehood of the BCCI. We showed the court to which extent the BCCI was going to delay the case."
Jadeja said: "We produced the documents to prove the BCCI's duplicity."
Asked by rediff.com whether he had obtained income tax clearance of the property which the BCCI counsel insinuated that it could have been the result of ill-begotten wealth, Jadeja replied: "Of course, the property has been a declared asset."
The Board of Control for Cricket in India had banned Jadeja for five years and former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin for life in 2000 for their alleged involvement in the match-fixing episode.