CHENNAI: Mention ‘perjury’ and members of the BCCI are reminded of the case late president Jagmohan Dalmiya had brought against Sharad Pawar. While that was withdrawn after the rivals signed truce following the board’s decision to take back charges against Dalmiya, the latest case has the BCCI in all sorts of discomfort.
Other than the Supreme Court finding “prima facie” reason to “launch prosecution for perjury” against BCCI president Anurag Thakur, the board is worried about the court asking them to furnish names in a week of persons who can run Indian cricket. Members think this will amount to BCCI officials being stripped of powers and want a meeting to discuss this before going back to the court.
According to legal experts, perjury or lying to the court under oath can lead to 10 years in jail. “There is no room for appeal, because the Supreme Court itself has found a case of perjury against Thakur,” a lawyer to have handled BCCI matters told Express. “The only way he can escape this is with an unconditional apology. In such cases, the court sometimes accepts apologies.”
The BCCI lawyer Kapil Sibal too said in court that he is ready to tender apology. “I can place the entire records before the court. I am willing to apologise if the court feels that I am misleading the court.”
It’s the instruction to submit names to run day to day affairs of the BCCI that is making the members uneasy. It effectively means the BCCI officials themselves will suggest names to supersede them. “Since it’s a matter of such serious consequences, don’t think the BCCI president or secretary can take this decision on their own. There has to be a meeting,” said a board source.
“If this is done, it would amount to board officials signing own death warrants. Not sure if they will do it, for it will essentially undo what we have been fighting for all this while. If a meeting happens, I will propose that we object to this instruction in court. Like we did against the recommendation that GK Pillai be appointed observer,” added the source.
Other than the perjury charge against Thakur, the three-member special bench of the apex court has also said that he and BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke can be pulled up for contempt of court. Board members are worried that if the top two stand disqualified on these grounds, it will weaken the board’s position.
atreyo@newindianexpress.com