Indian news round-up

A Mumbai sessions court has ordered the issue of notices to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in view of a suit filed against them by Amit Dholakia who pleaded for restraint from inviting fresh bids regarding the telecast rights of 2003 and 2007 World Cup tournaments.

The plaintiff said the ICC had invited the bids for the telecast rights of the next two World Cup competitions including the ICC mini World Cup tourneys. The Indian based Zee Telefilms Ltd had tendered the highest bid amounting to 600 million dollars, the third biggest ever bid in sports history.

Dholakia, while quoting press reports, said that the ICC was to convene a meeting shortly to decide on reinviting tenders for telecast of these World Cups.

The Calcutta Metropolitan Magistrate court on Friday ordered the issue of a fresh order to Prasar Bharati's former financial expert Arun Agarwal to appear before it on July 18 in connection with the defamation suit filed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) president Jagmohan Dalmiya.

The Chief Metropolitan Magisrate, Sanat Kumar Maity issued the order since Agarwal failed to appear at the court despite being summoned on April 29. Meanwhile, Malay Kumar Mitra, the Regional Manager of the United News of India, Calcutta, who is the other defendant in the case appeared on behalf of the news establishment as summoned.

The CMM fixed July 18 as the date of appearance of all the defendants in front of the court and also for further hearing of the case. Dalmiya had filed the criminal defamation suit on April 29 after Agarwal alleged that Dalmiya had ''defrauded'' Doordarshan of four million US Dollars in the telecast rights deal for the 1998 ICC Knock- Out tournament in Dhaka.

Indian Sports Minister SS Dhindsa on Friday said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is looking into several sensitive documents from Doordarshan relating to the telecast rights deal of the cricket matches by BCCI.

Speaking to a news agency in New Delhi, Dhindsa said ``Some important documents from Doordarshan were being examined by the CBI in the light of allegations that massive bunglings took place in the allotment of telecast rights.''

On the various measures taken by the government to put an end to such malpractices, Dhindsa said ``everything is being done...Let us wait and watch.''

Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble (2 for 17) struck twice late in the day for Leicestershire as Derbyshire were reduced to 116 for the loss of five wickets on the third day of the four day PPP Healthcare County Championship Division One match at Grace Road in Leicester on Friday.

Derbyshire still trail by 61 runs with only five lower order wickets in hand after being bundled out for 133. Leicestershire's James Ormond ran through Derbyshire with a six wicket haul. Kumble chipped in with two wickets while giving away only 21 runs in his 12 overs.

Meanwhile the other two Indians Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly had a short stint at the crease. Ganguly managed only six runs as Lancashire managed to draw their match against the visiting New Zealand A side. On the other hand, Dravid was also dismissed for six runs as Kent was defeated by Yorkshire by eight wickets.