CHENNAI: The Supreme Court has once again deferred verdict in the BCCI-Lodha committee case, but a double-edged sword hangs over the cricket board after Thursday’s developments. The bench said BCCI president Anurag Thakur can be charged with perjury for lying to the court on seeking an ICC letter, saying that having a CAG member in its governing body would amount to “government interference” and lead to the BCCI’s disqualification from the world body. It added ICC chairman Shashank Manohar’s affidavit confirms that Thakur had sought such a letter.
Perjury charge can lead to up to 10 years in jail. Even if Thakur apologises and escapes that, the court can find him and BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke guilty of contempt, for not complying with its earlier orders. On either charge, they can be removed from the chair. It’s this possibility with the court’s instruction to furnish in a week names to run the board which makes BCCI members jittery.
Even though the board lawyer objected to the Lodha panel’s recommendation to have GK Pillai as observer, their lawyer told the court that former CAG Vinod Rai and cricketer Mohinder Amarnath can be appointed to assist Pillai. This, coupled with charges against Thakur and Shirke, keeps the BCCI worried. Because if they are found guilty of contempt, the court can ask for their removal. Members want to discuss the instruction on submitting names before the court delivers verdict on January 3.