Notices to BCCI, Muthiah, Madhavan in Azhar case

The Hyderabad City Civil Court on Tuesday served urgent notices on the Board of Control for cricket in India (BCCI), its president AC Muthiah and former CBI joint director K Madhavan, on a suit filed by former captain Mohammed Azharuddin, to file their counter affidavits by February 14.

The second additional chief judge J Shyamsundar Rao issued notices to the three respondents in response to the plea made by T Jadish, advocate of Azahruddin, who moved the court on Monday challenging the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI contending that the appointment of Madhavan as enquiry commissioner was not in accordance with the BCCI rules.

In a 17-page original suit filed in the court in Hyderabad, Azharuddin, naming the BCCI, Madhavan and Muthiah as respondents, prayed the court to declare as null and void the life ban imposed on him, and the findings of Madhavan Committee report on match fixing.

In view of the forthcoming visit of the Australian cricket team to India next month, the advocate sought that urgent notices be sent to the respondents. The former captain sought the court's intervention to allow him to play for the national side and be eligible for all retirement benefits as the appointment of Madhavan was illegal and violative of BCCI rules and the proceedings conducted against him were 'void-ab-initio'.