KKR a private club, no conflict for Ganguly: Lawyer

By Baidurjo Bhose

New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ombudsman and Ethics Officer D.K. Jain has received a complaint from two cricket fans in West Bengal that Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly will be "conflicted" if he continues in his role as advisor to Delhi Capitals (DC) when they play Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on April 12.

But former BCCI lawyer Usha Nath Banerjee has made it clear that the allegations don't hold any water.

Speaking to IANS, Banerjee said the CAB rents out the Eden Gardens to KKR as "a franchise" and that "conflict" would have been possible if the CAB chief had stakes in KKR and then acted as an advisor to DC.

"The complaint won't stand as KKR is not a local club of Kolkata or a part of the CAB. It is a separate entity and there is no way that Ganguly is conflicted. Had the CAB President had shares in KKR and then joined DC as an advisor, things would have been different. To be fair, KKR just takes the Eden Gardens on rent from the association. This letter doesn't stand a chance," Banerjee said.

Ganguly had taken permission from the Committee of Administrators (CoA) before becoming the advisor to DC.

The letter from the fan read: "I would like to draw your kind attention that on 12th April, 2019, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capital match will be played at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. KKR is the local franchisee (sic), who are closely associated with the Cricket Association of Bengal.

"Sir, is it practically possible -- (on the) one hand the CAB president is supporting the local franchisee (sic) to conduct the match administratively and (on the other hand), CAB president is sitting with the the team officials of Delhi Capitals as an advisor."

It is being said that one of the former CAB officials is behind the whole move to put Ganguly in a spot.

(The writer can be contacted at [email protected])

-IANS

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