BCCI could seek explanation from Sundar Raman

The BCCI could seek an explanation from IPL chief operating officer Sundar Raman during its emergent working committee meeting in Chennai on Tuesday for his alleged misdemeanours spelt out by the Supreme Court-appointed Mudgal committee. The meeting will also decide whether an internal probe against him will be appointed or whether the board should wait for court proceedings to conclude before taking action, if required.

The Mudgal committee report says that Raman knew a contact of a bookie and had contacted him eight times in a season. It also states that Raman had received information about Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra taking part in betting activities.

"This individual knew a contact of a bookie and had contacted him eight times in one season," the report states. "This individual admitted knowing the contact of the bookies but however claimed to be unaware of his connection with betting activities.

"This individual also accepted that he had received information about Individual 1 [Gurunath Meiyappan, whose status as Chennai Super Kings team official was confirmed by the report] and Individual 11 [Raj Kundra, the Rajasthan Royals co-owner] taking part in betting activities but was informed by the ICC-ACSU chief that this was not actionable information. This individual also accepted that this information was not conveyed to any other individual."

With such remarks against Raman, a section of BCCI members feel it is necessary to suspend him until all the proceedings around the Mudgal probe conclude. "When the Rajasthan Royals were alleged of misconduct, the first thing we did was suspend all of them till the internal inquiry was complete," a BCCI member told ESPNcricinfo, preferring anonymity. "The president [N Srinivasan] also pulled out and appointed a replacement to take care of administrative affairs [in June 2013], so the same rule should be applied to Sundar as well."

The BCCI hierarchy, however, is likely to adopt a more cautious approach - "generous" as termed by another member - towards Raman, who is considered to be one of the most influential officials of the BCCI after Srinivasan and the latter's shadow in the ICC. After taking legal advice, the BCCI hierarchy is of the opinion that it would be "unfair to suspend a senior employee without hearing his side". "If the house is not convinced with his explanation, then definitely he can be suspended," a member of the ruling faction said.

The BCCI hierarchy has invited many non-working committee member associations as "special invitees" for the meeting. It is understood that barring Madhya Pradesh and Saurashtra, at least one representative from the remaining 28 full members of the board will attend the meeting.

Like the five BCCI vice-presidents, the special invitees do not have a vote in the working committee but they can express their views. By inviting virtually all the associations, including Maharashtra who were one of the leading voices against Srinivasan last year, the BCCI hierarchy is, according to an official, attempting to create an impression that it is "not an autocratic but a democratic body."

Despite the presence of most BCCI members, the likelihood of dissent against Srinivasan is expected to be remote. Sharad Pawar, the Mumbai Cricket Association president, and Shashank Manohar, the former BCCI president - two of Srinivasan's most vocal and influential critics - will not be attending the meeting and it is unlikely that the other members will try and question the current regime.