Sanjeev Gupta withdraws conflict-of-interest complaints to 'safeguard health and life'

Sanjeev Gupta, the former Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association life member, who has filed conflict-of-interest petitions against several high-profile people in Indian cricket, has requested BCCI ethics officer Vineet Saran to withdraw all his complaints with immediate effect.

Gupta sent an email to Saran on August 21, and copied the same to the Supreme Court of India, several former Chief Justices of India, the BCCI top brass including its president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah, and members of the media.

In the email, seen by ESPNcricinfo, Gupta said he was "compelled" to withdraw all his conflict allegations to "safeguard my health and life" after experiencing an "ugly incidence" on August 20, which "deteriorated my health issues drastically."

After the Supreme Court mandated the RM Lodha Committee recommendations in 2016, eventually resulting in BCCI amending its constitution, Gupta has accused several prominent cricket personalities - players, administrators, IPL franchise owners - of flouting conflict of interest requirements. Among the list of these people, which is over 20, are former India captains Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, as well as former India batter VVS Laxman, and BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla. Gupta's most recent complaint was against Nita Ambani, the owner of Mumbai Indians.

In response to Gupta's allegations, Saran had asked Ambani to submit a response by September 2. It is not yet known whether Saran will still hear the case, as well those relating to Gupta's other pending complaints, or drop them all.