IPL Judgement Day: Lodha Panel to Announce Spot Fixing Verdict

Here’s all you need to know about the IPL spot fixing case on the day Lodha Commission will announce its verdict.

Gurunath Meiyappan, Team Principle, Chennai Super Kings being escorted out of a vehicle by police officers after his arrest. (Photo: Reuters)

The Justice Lodha Committee is all set to announce its verdict and the quantum of punishment that Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra along with the fate of their respective IPL franchises vis-a-vis the spot fixing and betting scam that some term as the “biggest cricketing scandal” in the country.

On 22 January, 2015, the Supreme Court found Meiyappan former Team Principle of the Chennai Super Kings and Kundra the Co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals guilty of betting. The former is the son-in-law of former BCCI president and current ICC Chairman N Srinivasan and the latter a businessman and Bollywood starlet Shilpa Shetty’s husband.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty (R) pictured with her husband Raj Kundra in Mumbai. (Photo: Reuters)

Here’s a breakdown of all that’s happened in the case after details emerged for the first time in 2013.

The Scam of Scams Circa 2013

MAY

Delhi Police arrests S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila of the Rajasthan Royals on charges of spot-fixing.

Indian Cricketer S Sreesanth after being arrested. (Photo: Reuters)

Gurunath Meiyappan, Team Principal of the Chennai Super Kings and son-in-law of BCCI Chief N Srinivasan questioned by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch and arrested on 24th May, 2013.

Former BCCI president and current ICC Chairman N. Srinivasan. (Photo: Reuters)

JUNE

N Srinivasan stepped aside temporarily as BCCI chief, the Chairman of the IPL, Rajiv Shukla, resigned from his post in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal. Raj Kundra, co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals is suspended by the BCCI.

JULY

No evidence was found against Kundra and Meiyappan by the BCCI’s 2-member probe panel.

In a bollywood-style twist the Bombay High Court ruled that the BCCI’s two-member probe panel was “unconstitutional & illegal” as the probe mandates at least a three-member panel according to IPL’s operational rule 2.2.

Police officers pictured through a gate as they raid the house and vehicles belonging to Gurunath Meiyappan. (Photo: Reuters)

AUGUST

BCCI challenged the Bombay HC’s decision and approached the Supreme Court of India which refused to peruse the report prepared by the BCCI’s two-member committee saying it would “amount to stay” on the High Court order which rendered the report null and void.

A policeman stands outside the Bombay High Court. (Photo: Reuters)

SEPTEMBER

A charge-sheet was filed against Meiyappan after the Bombay Police found incriminating evidence against him.

N Srinivasan is allowed to contest BCCI elections by the Supreme Court, but the court forbids him from assuming office till he is cleared by the probe.

OCTOBER

The three-member Mudgal Commission is set up by the Supreme Court to examine the issue; it is headed by former Punjab and Haryana Chief Justice, Mukul Mudgal.

The Supreme Court permits Srinivasan to take charge as BCCI president but warns him and the BCCI against interfering in the panel’s probe.

The Mudgal Panel’s Crackdown: 2014

FEBRUARY

Supreme Court-appointed Mudgal probe panel finds Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra guilty of betting and passing on team information during IPL-6.

AIDYO activists take to the street to protest against the scandal in Kolkata. (Photo: Reuters)

MARCH

N Srinivasan is ordered by the Supreme Court to step down as BCCI President, Sunil Gavaskar is named the interim chief of the board for IPL-7.

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar attends a news conference in New Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

APRIL

The Supreme Court asks the Mudgal Commission to continue its probe on those named in the report. The SC also reserves the order to decide the composition of the probe committee to investigate the allegations against Srinivasan and 12 others.

JUNE

Former Indian team captain Sourav Ganguly asked to join the Mudgal Committee as an expert on cricket affairs to help with the investigation.

JULY

Sunil Gavaskar is relieved as interim president of BCCI by the Supreme Court.

SEPTEMBER

A two-month extension is granted by the Supreme Court to the Mudgal Commission to complete the probe.

S Sreesanth’s posters are burnt at a protest. (Photo: Reuters)

NOVEMBER

The final report of the Mudgal Commission is submitted to the Supreme Court. The names of N Srinivasan, Gurunath Meiyappan, IPL CEO Sundar Raman and Raj Kundra, mentioned in the final report, are disclosed by the Supreme Court.

DECEMBER

The BCCI elections are postponed till January 31, 2015 at the request of the BCCI. The Supreme Court reserves verdict in the IPL spot fixing case and Srinivasan’s possible conflict of interest.

What Now: 2015

JANUARY

After a Supeme Court ruling the Justice Lodha commission, a three-member panel of retired Supreme Court judges led by former Chief Justice RS Lodha was tasked with deciding the punishment of Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra (found to be guilty of betting) and in Srinivasan’s case, the consequence of having a conflict of interest.

The committee would also look at reforms in the functioning of BCCI, which is now a “public authority”.

MAY

The Lodha commission sent out a questionnaire with more than 80 queries to BCCI office bearers in order to determine administrative changes in the cricketing board

JULY

The verdict in the IPL spot fixing and betting scam comes out today. It’s IPL Judgement Day.