BCCI asks Sourav Ganguly to respond to conflict-of-interest charges

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has been asked by the BCCI to respond to the charge of conflict of interest. Ganguly is the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and also an advisor to the Delhi Capitals IPL franchise.

On Monday, the BCCI ombudsman Justice DK Jain, who also serves as the board's ethics officer, asked Ganguly for an explanation. ESPNcricinfo understands that Ganguly has informed Justice Jain that he will send his reply by April 7.

Three Kolkata residents, Ranjit Seal, Bhaswati Santua and Abhijeet Mukherjee, have written to Justice Jain asking how Ganguly could be allowed to be part of the Delhi Capitals set-up on April 12, when the team travels to Eden Gardens, home of the CAB, to play Kolkata Knight Riders.

Justice Jain confirmed to PTI that he had written to Ganguly. "Yes, I have asked Sourav Ganguly to respond to the complaints with regards to conflict of interest as Delhi Capitals advisor and state association president."

Although Ganguly's case might not fall under the direct, indirect, tractable or intractable conflicts as defined in the new BCCI constitution, Justice Jain is likely to pay close attention to clause 38 (4), which states that a person cannot hold two positions at the same point out of 16 listed. The clause says: "It is clarified that no individual is allowed to occupy more than one of the following posts at a single point of time except where prescribed under these rules."

The 16 positions include: "any person who is governance, management or employee of a franchisee", and "Office Bearer of a Member."

Ganguly was recently roped in by Delhi Capitals as an advisor although the nature of his role is not clearly defined. So far this season Ganguly has been in Capitals' dugout and has been involved in their training sessions alongside head coach Ricky Ponting. Incidentally, Ganguly had resigned as the head of the BCCI technical committee before joining Capitals, to avoid a direct conflict.

Ganguly was present at Capitals' training session in Delhi on Wednesday, guiding players through their drills and even taking part in a game of foot-volley.