MUMBAI: Retired Indian cricketer VVS Laxman, who is a member of the BCCI’s cricket advisory committee along with fellow greats Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly, has resigned from the CAC after being issued a conflict-of-interest showcause notice by BCCI ombudsman Justice (retired) DK Jain, regarding his role as a “mentor” of IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Fellow CAC member Tendulkar, who as a mentor of the IPL team Mumbai Indians (MI) was issued a similar notice, has replied to the BCCI ombudsman asserting that he is not in conflict and denying all charges levied against him and agreeing to meet Justice Jain with his lawyer for further clarification, if required.
In the letter to the ombudsman, accessed y IANS, Tendulkar’s lawyer wrote: “At the outset, the Noticee (Tendulkar) denies the contents of the complaint in totality (except the statements specifically admitted herein). No part of the complaint should be deemed to be admitted by the Noticee for lack of specific denials.
“The Noticee has received no pecuniary benefit/compensation from the Mumbai Indians IPL Franchise in his capacity as the Mumbai Indians ‘ICON’ since his retirement, and is certainly not employed with the Franchise in any capacity.
“He does not occupy any position, nor has he taken any decision (including selection of team players) which could qualify as being in governance or management of the Franchise. Accordingly, there is no conflict of interest, either under the BCCI Rules or otherwise.”
Tendulkar’s lawyer also clarified in the submission that the he was a part of MI from even before he was made a member of the CAC.
“The Noticee was appointed to the panel of the Cricket Advisory Committee in the year 2015. The Hon’ble Ethics Officer will appreciate that the Noticee was named as the ‘ICON’ for Mumbai Indians much prior to his empanelment with the CAC – which fact has always been in the public domain.
“Accordingly, the BCCI was aware of the Noticee’s association with the Mumbai Indians Franchise at the time of his appointment to the CAC,” the letter said.
