Kundra's counsel lashes out at 'unilateral' BCCI

The Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra's counsel Majeed Memon on Monday expressed shock at the BCCI's decision to suspend his client on charges of gambling in IPL VI matches, saying that the "hasty" action taken by the Board is "irresponsible".

"It is shocking to find that the BCCI has taken a unilateral decision without listening to Raj Kundra's side of the story. The decision has been taken in haste and it is totally irresponsible. It violates the Principals of Natural Justice," Memon said.

"The basic principal is they should have called Raj Kundra, questioned him and then handed him a show cause notice," the noted criminal lawyer added.

"But the BCCI did not do any such thing and only on the basis of reports in the media, they have taken a decision to suspend him. This is the most unjust and improper order," he added.

Memon said he and his client would challenge the suspension order in court.

"We will challenge the suspension order. But only after I see the order, we will decide how to go about it," he said.

The lawyer insisted that even the Police did not have any concrete evidence against Kundra.

"The Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar has gone on record to say that the allegations of betting on Raj Kundra were unsupportive and uncorroborated. The Police had no material against Kundra to book him. But BCCI's 'super court' rushed to take a decision against him.

"The BCCI are in a hurry to proceed against a person who is not even arrested and was only called by the Police with a purpose of questioning, but it is not doing anything to those who have been kept behind the bars without bail," said Memon.

Image: Raj Kundra with Shilpa Shetty

Photograph: BCCI