Dalmiya to sue British newspaper

The president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Jagmohan Dalmiya has decided to sue the, The Sunday Telegraph and writer Scyld Berry for publishing a false news item. The newspaper had carried an item on Sunday which reported that Dalmiya had been voted out of the financial and marketing committee. A visibly upset Dalmiya called for a press conference, around 9.30 in the evening, on his arrival from Paris on May 7.

Replying to the allegation the ICC President said, "I went to Paris to attend the meeting of the same committee from which, according to the newspaper, I have been voted out. The entire item is baseless and false. No such thing has happened. Actually, the meeting for the Financial and Marketing Committee was to conducted from May 4 to May 6. The meeting finished a day earlier. It was only at the Airport that I came to know about this news item. We have already served the newspaper and the writer a legal notice. I will also appeal to the Foreign Exchange Department and the Government of India for permission so that I can fight the case abroad. "

A visibly agitated ICC President also said, that newspapers should play a more responsive role. "The entire cricketing fraternity is passing through very bad times. It is the media which can also play a very active role in helping the game to come out of this crisis. The newspaper and its writer had deliberately twisted facts to defame me," said Mr. Dalmiya. The ICC President also added that the same newspaper had published an item about a week ago stating the he had shares and stakes in an offshore company. "The Company in question is the ICC Development International founded in 1993."

Replying to queries on the issue of Kapil Dev, Dalmiya said, "The ICC is really helpless to do anything on this issue. However, at the same time, I would like to say that before making allegations against a person like Kapil Dev, one should think twice. Dev has done a lot for the country. I can understand his feelings."