New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS): The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a petition by former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi who sought to put on hold a Special General Meeting of the Indian cricket board, at which he was later banned for life.
The meeting Wednesday considered the Disciplinary Committee's report that probed the allegations of financial irregularities between 2008 and 2010 in the conduct of the IPL and the action against him.
Lalit Modi was the Indian Premier League commissioner between 2008 and 2010 and there were allegations of financial irregularities in the operation of IPL during his stewardship.
The Disciplinary Committee submitted its report to the BCCI June 10, 2013.
The court proceeding took place before the Indian cricket board banned Lalit Modi for life.
Dismissing Modi’s plea, the apex court bench of Justice H.L.Gokhale and Justice J. Chelameswar said the "only big thing about you is that you are a big shot and big money is involved” and court need not interfere in each and every matter of a society.
The court said it could not be expected to interfere into the internal functioning of the society, which the BCCI is.
Appearing for Modi, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court that Special General Meeting could only be called on the direction of the board president and the apex cricketing body has no elected functional president at present.
The court was told that after the BCCI president stepped aside to let Jagmohan Dalmiya look after day to day functioning of the cricketing body, there was no functional elected president of the BCCI.
He told the court thast while stepping aside for Dalmiya, N.Srinivasan had said that he would not discharge any function of the cricketing body.
“Suppose an employee is issued a notice and called to offer explanation. It may mean dismissal from service. Can it be stayed?" Justice Gokhale asked as Singhvi sought the meeting be suspended.
“We can’t interfere in the matter of a society," Justice Gokhale told Singhvi as counsel sought the stay of the meeting which could impose a “draconian punishment” on his client.
“Thereafter, you challenge the decision (punishing Modi),” Justice Gokhale said, dismissing Modi’s plea.
Modi moved the apex court after the Delhi High Court Tuesday allowed the cricket board to hold its SGM, which was earlier restrained by the trial court.
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