BCCI's disciplinary panel to decide on recusal on Sunday

Suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi's lawyers will continue to press for the removal of interim-IPL chairman Chirayu Amin and BCCI vice-president Arun Jaitley from the Indian board's disciplinary committee at a hearing in New Delhi on Sunday.

Modi has repeatedly demanded the removal of Amin from the panel, claiming he holds a grudge because Modi revealed he was part of a failed bid for one of the two new IPL franchises. Modi's lawyers have also argued Jaitley should not be on the panel either because he had voted to ratify the charges against Modi at the board's special general body meeting on July 3.

On Sunday, Venkatesh Dhond, one of Modi's lawyers, will first conclude his arguments for why the two men should not be part of the panel. PR Raman, the BCCI's counsel, will then get a chance to respond. Finally, Dhond will get 15 minutes for his rejoinder. Once the committee has heard all the arguments, it will make its decision. Dhond began his arguments at the previous hearing, which was adjourned before he could finish.

At that hearing, held on July 27, Mehmood Abdi, another of Modi's lawyers, pushed for the addition of a neutral judge. "A retired Supreme Court judge must be there in the committee," he had said at the time. "We have grave concern about the BCCI's stance. If they have already decided then what's the point in all their meetings?"

Modi's lawyers were also given copies of the minutes from the special general body meeting at which the charges against him were ratified and relevant extracts of two IPL governing council meetings (April 26 and June 25). In addition, they were given a copy of the amended agreement between the BCCI and Sony-MSM on condition of the strictest confidentiality. Abdi asked for these documents because he said they were crucial to the case.

Although required to attend the hearings in person, Modi has stayed away from the proceedings, claiming security concerns keep him from returning to India, and therefore from giving the BCCI dates on which he would be available. However, he is willing to be present via video conferencing. In the meantime, the board has allowed Modi's lawyers to stand in for him. The committee has until October to make its recommendation to the BCCI.

Modi had petitioned the Bombay High Court earlier this month to reconstitute the committee on the grounds that it was biased against him, but the court dismissed the petition without considering its merits or demerits. The third member of the committee is Union Minister of State and Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association president Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The BCCI suspended Modi immediately following the conclusion of IPL 3 in April and charged him with financial irregularities relating to the bidding process for IPL franchises, the mid-over ad sales and the sale of theatrical rights. He was also charged with colluding to set up a rebel league in England.