A BCCI hearing is scheduled for January 17 at 3pm in the Supreme Court. Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have tendered unconditional apologies
Hardik Pandya
It appears the Supreme Court will step in to give direction on who will be a part of the inquiry panel to investigate Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul's controversial comments on a recent TV show, Koffee with Karan what with the SC-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) differing among themselves.
A BCCI hearing is scheduled for January 17 at 3pm in the Supreme Court. Both players have tendered unconditional apologies, according to a PTI report yesterday.
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The differing views between CoA chief Vinod Rai and CoA member Diana Edulji over the formation of conduct of inquiry is likely to delay the commencement of investigations as Pandya and Rahul stare at missing out on the New Zealand tour as well.
Rai has made it clear that he will not be part of the inquiry process.
"In my view, the COA is duty bound to follow the new constitution and what you are suggesting is neither in consonance with the constitution nor is it as per the legal advice received. It cannot be the case that we follow legal advice only when we consider it, “justifiable”. I can’t be party to this decision and process.
"Also please note that since you do not want to follow the suggestion of legal to have an ‘ad hoc ombudsman', your suggestion runs the risk of your committee being ‘judge, jury and executioner’. Please go ahead and take it forward. I will keep away and leave it to you,” Rai wrote in his email to Edulji which has been accessed by mid-day yesterday.
In response, Edulji said: "Your point of not going against a Supreme Court direction/constitution is what I have been time and again warning about as you have acted against the Supreme Court direction/ constitution in the matter of Women’s team Head Coach where a committee was appointed inspite of CAC being there and also in the case of sexual harassment matter of CEO Rahul Johri, you unilaterally appointed the independent committee.
“Your point of your committee being ‘judge, jury and executioner' is exactly what you followed and did in the sexual harassment case, which I had opposed and you took the decisions unilaterally.
"As there is no provision for appointment of an ad hoc ombudsman as per the new constitution we cannot go ahead with that.
“As the SC hearing is scheduled for 17th Jan, let the court be informed about this situation and let an Ombudsman be appointed by the court instead of taking a wrong step of appointing the ad hoc ombudsman, which is not as per the new constitution,” Edulji wrote.
While Rai has claimed "not remembering" taking any decision on calling back Pandya and Rahul from Australia after their suspension, pending inquiry, Edulji stressed that it was a "collective decision of the CoA and BCCI office-bearers".
In Edulji's email on Saturday to Rai, the former India women's captain reminded the CoA chief that India are not weakened by the absence of Pandya and Rahul. "For your knowledge, in the recently concluded football World Cup, a Croation player was sent back after their first game on disciplinary grounds. Croatia went on to win the World Cup [actually ended up as runners-up]," Edulji wrote, referring to Crotia striker Nikola Kalinic, who had refused to come off the bench during Croatia's opening match against Nigeria after claiming to be unfit.
"There is no delay. We have given them seven days to respond to the notice sent by us late last night. Then, why are you now instructing that the inquiry must be completed before the 3rd ODI. Are you prejudging the outcome of this inquiry also?" Edulji told Rai.
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