IPL boss on sticky wicket
Mudgal panel says IPL COO Sundar Raman was in constant touch with a bookie and knew of betting by two key CSK and RR officials but did nothing.
MUMBAI: In a severe indictment, the Mudgal committee report which came into the public domain on Monday has left the IPL Chief Operating Officer Sundar Raman facing heavy scrutiny.
The report has found that Raman had contacted a bookie eight times in one season and then had done nothing despite coming to know that Chennai Super Kings’ Gurunath Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals’ Raj Kundra were indulging in betting.
Raman, who was brought in to run IPL by its sacked former commissioner Lalit Modi but switched loyalties to become the trusted lieutenant of N Srinivasan, has maintained that he was unaware the person he was speaking to was a bookie, but it remains to be seen how the court views his reply to the findings.
Referring to Sundar Raman as individual 12, the report reads: “This individual knew a contact of a bookie and had contacted him eight times in one season. This individual (Raman) admitted knowing the contact of the bookies but however claimed to be unaware of his connections with betting activities.”
Further, the report implicates Raman. He admitted he was privy to the information that Meiyappan and Kundra were indulging in betting. Raman told the panel that the ICC-Anti-Corruption and Security Unit chief informed him that it was not actionable information and that he did not bring the betting activities to the notice of any other official.
Under fire after the findings became public, Raman, despite repeated attempts, didn’t respond to HT’s calls. A growing section within the BCCI, mostly detractors of Srinivasan, has decided to go after Raman in Tuesday’s BCCI emergent working committee in Chennai. “This is very clear, we are certainly going to raise the matter around Sundar Raman and will ask the BCCI president to immediately sack him,” said one head of a state association who has promised to raise the matter.
Raman is finding it difficult to get the support of his boss, Srinivasan. “I am not in a position to decide on Sundar Raman as I have stepped aside from the BCCI responsibility. It is only natural that Raman has to defend himself in the court through his submission. I think we just have to wait for the Supreme Court’s hearing on November 24,” Srinivasan to HT.
Although Raman is entitled to make submissions to the Supreme Court in his defence, there is a section within the BCCI that is willing to sacrifice him to protect Srinivasan, who himself is in a tight spot. Tuesday’s working committee thus is expected to see some heated arguments.