Anurag Thakur tenders apology
The Supreme Court on Monday granted relief to exBCCI president Anurag Thakur and exempted his personal appearance in the court till the next date of hearing in contempt proceedings case.
Thakur tendered an unconditional apology to the apex court in connection with his initiation of contempt proceedings case. The SC has fixed April 17 as the next date of hearing.
The apex court had on January 2 had issued notice to Thakur seeking an explanation why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him.
The court had sought a reply from Thakur regarding perjury charges levelled against him by the amicus curiae Gopal Subramanian.
The court had on January 2 removed Thakur and Ajay Shirke from their respective posts of BCCI president and board secretary for their failure to bring transparency and accountability to the Indian cricket board and their non-compliance of the court’s July 18, 2016 order.
On December 15, the top court had observed that Thakur prima facie appears to have committed matter of perjury in relation to demanding an intervention via a letter from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in order to sidestep the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations.
The top court also asked the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) to give an undertaking to the new cricket body, Committee of Administrators (CoA), stating that it would follow and implement the Lodha Committee recommendations.
A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and A. M. Khanwilkar, while hearing the arguments from the amicus curiae and BCCI counsel Kapil Sibbal, said that it would be only after the DDCA submits the undertaking that funds for its day to day functioning would be released.
India skipper Virat Kohli and Australia captain Steve Smith exchanging harsh words while standing toe-to-toe on Day 2 of the second Test sure added spice to the rather slow proceedings.
Kohli’s aggression, however, has lost him an admirer from Down Under — former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian Healy.
“The pressure is starting to tell on (Kohli),” Healy told Melbourne radio station SEN and was quoted by cricket.com.au.
“I’m losing respect for him. He’s not only now continuing his disrespect of the Australian players and umpires, but I think he’s putting pressure on his own players now.”
Healy admitted that Kohli is the best batsman he has ever seen but felt the Indian skipper’s approach needn’t work for the team. “His feistiness and real aggression towards the opposition has been good (in the past),