Modi moves High Court against BCCI

Lalit Modi, the suspended IPL commissioner, has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court requesting it to quash the Indian board's disciplinary proceedings against him. Modi has also asked the court to appoint a mutually acceptable and independent person, or panel, to judge his case.

Modi has moved the court to recall and withdraw the suspension order issued by the BCCI on April 25, as well as the three show-case notices issued on April 26, May 6 and May 31 respectively that accused him of a number of financial irregularities related to the bidding process for franchises and the sale of theatrical rights and mid-over ads. He was also charged with colluding to set up a rebel league in England.

In addition to asking the court to quash the board's proceedings against him, Modi has challenged the legal validity of the board's decision to ratify the charges against him at last week's special general meeting, calling the decision "malafide, illegal, perverse and unconstitutional", and asked the court to prevent the BCCI from taking any further steps against him.

The petition was filed by Modi's lawyer Mehmood Abdi and names the BCCI, its president Shashank Manohar, secretary Srinivasan and the three members of the disciplinary committee - interim IPL chairman Chirayu Amin, Arun Jaitley and Jyotiraditya Scindia - as the respondents. Scindia was appointed to replace Manahor on the committee after the board president recused himself from all proceedings having to do with Modi. The disciplinary is currently considering Modi's case and has until October 26 to to make its recommendations to the board.

Two days ago, Modi sent a legal notice to the board saying Amin holds a grudge against him because Modi revealed he was part of a failed bid for one of the two new IPL teams, and therefore should be removed from the disciplinary committee.