Ex-IPL commissioner Lalit Modi expelled for life by BCCI

Lalit Modi was the brainchild of the Indian Premier League (IPL). (Getty Images)

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Lalit Modi has been expelled for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on charges of financial irregularities on Wednesday.

The decision was taken in a Special General Meeting that was chaired by BCCI President N Srinivasan in Chennai after the Board reviewed a 134-page disciplinary committee report. Modi can still, however, challenge the ban in court.

Earlier in the day, the ex-IPL commissioner moved to the Supreme Court for a stay on the meeting. The Special Leave Petition filed by Modi’s lawyers was dismissed. This after the Delhi High Court allowed the BCCI to go ahead with the meeting.

Modi, who has been living in London for the last two years, has been found guilty of eight different charges of “various acts of indiscipline and misconduct”.

Those include the rigging of bids and television rights, misappropriation of funds, and arm-twisting franchises – namely threatening the consortium that owned the now obsolete IPL team, the Kochi Tuskers.

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement: “Resolved that Mr. Lalit Modi is guilty of committing acts of serious misconduct and indiscipline, and therefore, in exercise of powers as per Regulation 32 of the Memorandum and Rules and Regulations of the Board, Mr. Lalit Modi be and is hereby expelled from the BCCI. He shall forfeit all his rights and privileges as Administrator. He shall not in future be entitled to hold any position or office, or be admitted in any Committee or any member or associate member of the Board,” .

In a strong rebuttal to the claims, Modi accused the being biased against him on his blog: “The committee indicted me on all grounds on which they could lay even fanciful claim. On allegations where their wildest fancies found no basis to hold me guilty, they grudgingly exonerated me.”

Modi added, “I am a bad enemy to make, because I am a winner. You don’t want to take such extreme steps with me; rather, you want to negotiate with me, because you need to be able to walk away.

“Do I care about a life ban? Really couldn’t care less, as they can’t ever take away what I created (the IPL). They can destroy it. But I will keep at them for sure.”