The key players in the IPL controversy
The IPL controversy has included ministers, businessmen, cricket board officials and an assortment of family and friends. Siddarth Ravindran tells us who's who
25-Apr-2010
Sunanda Pushkar: It all sort of started with her. A marketing professional based in Dubai, she was given a 4.7% stake - worth approximately US$1.5 million - as sweat equity for her work in the franchise. Her problem was that Tharoor did not disclose it and - as she sees it - made her a victim of a vindictive media. She has since offered to return the stake, saying she wants no part of the IPL.
Rendezvous Sports World: A group of seemingly disparate businessmen who came together to bid for the Kochi franchise. They got by with a little help from a friend, Tharoor, but that's when their troubles - and his - began. Some important people, it seems, didn't want them to win and allegedly went out of their way to dissuade them. They have stuck to their guns for now but it's their books the taxmen are interested in.
Pranab Mukherjee: The Indian government's perennial trouble-shooter, he is also the finance minister and in charge of the two departments - income-tax and revenue - whose officials are unearthing the money trail. How far the investigations will go - and how much dirt will come out of them - is eventually his call. Pity he's more of a football person.
VIP friends and family - They've always been part of the IPL but some of them have stayed below the radar. They are in high places - Modi's brother-in-law owns a large part of Rajasthan Royals; his stepson-in-law owns the company that has the IPL's media rights. Vijay Mallya's two step-children work for the IPL, as does aviation minister Patel's daughter.