SC asks former BCCI chief Thakur for unconditional apology

The Supreme Court has asked the former BCCI president Anurag Thakur to tender afresh an "unequivocal" and "categorical" apology before it in a contempt case initiated against him.

A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said it was not going to consider the earlier affidavit of apology filed by Thakur and asked him to file a "one-page short affidavit" tendering unconditional apology.

The bench indicated that it was willing to accept the apology and close the contempt proceedings against Thakur, a BJP MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh. Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for Thakur, said though his client was willing to tender an unconditional apology, he has got a very good case on merit through which it can be proved that he did no wrong.

The apex court has fixed the matter for July 14 and asked Thakur to remain present before it on that day.

The court had initiated contempt proceedings against Thakur on January 2 this year for filing a false affidavit over writing to the ICC on the issue of autonomy.

"The conduct of the President of BCCI in seeking a letter from the President of ICC in August 2016, after the final judgement and Order of this Court, is nothing but an attempt on the part of the head of BCCI to evade complying, with the Order of this Court," the apex court had said while issuing the show cause notice to Thakur.

Coming down heavily on the defiant BCCI brass, the Supreme Court had on Januray 2 removed Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke as President and Secretary for "obstructing" and "impeding" its directions for overhauling governance in the cricket body and appointed a committee of administrators to oversee BCCI's functions.