This Article is From Apr 25, 2010

IPL fight club: BCCI suspends Lalit Modi tonight?

New Delhi: Even as the finale of the Indian Premier League was being played out, the action, like for the rest of the season, was unfolding around IPL chairman Lalit Modi. He made a superman-like appearance for the match, arriving with quintessential flamboyance in a helicopter to a packed stadium. The message was clear: game on. Before that, once again, it was on Twitter that Modi sounded his war cry, tweeting: "I will attend and chair the meeting of the GC (Governing Council) as chairman and commissioner. I have issued the agenda to the GC."

Not if those determined to sack Modi-and that is a large number, the majority of the IPL governing council, say sources, have anything to do with it. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is finalising its strategy to suspend Modi on Sunday night, hours before that critical meeting. Modi will not be allowed to attend Modi's meeting.

Rule 32 of the BCCI constitution allows for a board official to be suspended by the president. Once an official is suspended, he has to undergo an inquiry. After Modi is suspended, the working committee of the BCCI will get to work, ratifying the suspension and then voting on whether Modi's out.   

As chairman of the Governing Council, Modi has asked for all complaints against him, other members of the Governing Council or the BCCI to be submitted to him in writing. (Read: Modi sets meet's agenda)

But over the last few days, the number of governing council members determined to force Modi to resign has increased to 8 of the total strength of 14.  
IS Bindra and Farooq Abdullah are possibly still willing to support Modi, while former cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and MAK Pataudi might be willing to listen to Modi's side of the story.

"If Modi asks for an extension to prepare his defense, the council will likely sanction his request," Pataudi earlier this week told NDTV.

Before things get better, they are likely to get a lot worse. In tweets - what else - over the weekend, Modi threatened to "reveal the men who've tried to bring disrepute to the game and how we stopped them."

As the IPL administration heads for an undoubtedly ugly climax, IPL team-owners are standing by Modi.

"Lalit Modi is a friend of mine and I met him at the awards function on Friday night. But we did not discuss the current controversy. I think Modi must be given some opportunity at some point of time to explain himself," Royal Challengers Bangalore owner Vijay Mallya told reporters.

"He's (Lalit Modi) a great guy, he's done a lot of things for this league and I really hope whatever happens, is fair to him," Kings XI co-owner Preity Zinta told NDTV on Saturday.

Modi had been asking for the meeting of the IPL's governing council to be postponed from Monday. He said he wanted a few days to put together his defence against charges of corruption and defaming the league he built. (Read: Modi wants to cancel critical IPL meeting, questions its legality)

Sources say that in reality, what Modi actually wants is a court hearing that could help him in his battle to survive; he hopes to get a conflict of interest case against the BCCI highlighted within five days. The BCCI apparently wants him out before that, and is keen to pass the resolution for Modi's ouster on Monday.

The case in question has been filed by A Muthiah, a former chief of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Muthiah has challenged in the Supreme Court the BCCI's decision to allow N Srinivasan, the board's secretary, to buy an IPL team. Conflict of interest, says Muthiah. (Read: IPL fight club: Lalit Modi's final-over gameplan)
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