Does IPL benefit cricket, asks HC

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said the time had come for the Centre, RBI and organisers of IPL to consider if conducting the tournament was in the interest of sportsmen and cricket. “If IPL has led to violations, it is high time organisers/ administrators consider if what has been achieved in the conduct of the tournament can be termed as gain, for they are apparently full of illegalities and breaches of law,” said the Division Bench of Justice SC Dharmadhikari and Justice Bharati Dangre.

Adjudication proceedings under provisions of FEMA, 1999, against former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, reminded the Bench of the illegalities purportedly associated with the tournament.

“IPL has made us familiar with phrases like betting and fixing of matches,” the Bench said, adding the Centre, RBI and organisers of IPL would “take an appropriate call”. The court was hearing a petition filed by Modi about violations of the principles of natural justice in conducting adjudication proceedings against him by the Enforcement Directorate.