BCCI defends ban on Azhar; files counter affidavit

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today filed its counter affidavit defending the ban imposed by it on former captain Mohd Azharuddin in the City Civil Court in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The BCCI counsel Narotham Reddy filed a reply on behalf of BCCI before the second additional Chief Judge J.Shyamsundar Rao. In his reply, the counsel justified and upheld all the actions of BCCI on Azharuddin, including the imposition of life ban following his alleged involvement in the match fixing scandal.

However, the BCCI President AC Muthiah and former CBI joint director K.Madhavan, who have also been named as respondents in a suit filed here by the former captain could not file their counter affidavits today and sought more time. Hence, the judge has given time to both the respondents to file their replies by February 26 after which the date for detailed hearing of the arguments would be announced.

Azhar had filed the suit in the city civil court here on January 30 challenging the life ban imposed on him by the Board contending that Madhavan's appointment as enquiry commissioner was not in accordance with the BCCI rules. Naming the BCCI, Madhavan and Muthiah as respondents, he requested the court to declare as null and void the life ban imposed on him, and the findings of the Madhavan report on match fixing. Following this, the court issued urgent notices to BCCI, Muthiah and Madhavan to file their counter affidavits by February 14.