Let Pandya, Rahul play while inquiry is on: BCCI president urges CoA
New Delhi, Jan 19: BCCI acting President C K Khanna Saturday urged the Committee of Administrators (CoA) to lift the suspension on Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul for their much-criticised sexist remarks and refused to convene a Special General Meeting on the matter.
Khanna said calling the SGM to appoint an ombudsman to investigate the two players' conduct, as demanded by Board officials, wouldn't be right as the Supreme Court is due to take up the issue next week.
Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry for their sexist comments on a TV chat show.
"They made a mistake, and they have already been suspended and called back from the series against Australia. They have also submitted an unconditional apology," Khanna write in a letter to the Committee of Administrators (CoA) running the BCCI.
"I suggest that pending inquiry we reinstate both the cricketers into the Indian squad immediately and allow them to join the team in New Zealand at the earliest," he added.
The CoA wants the Supreme Court to appoint an ombudsman to decide the fate of the two players, who have already missed the ODI series against Australia and are set to sit out of the tour of New Zealand as well.
They have also been thoroughly lambasted for their comments on hooking up with multiple women and joking about it on the show.
Around 14 state units, mainly former BCCI president N Srinivasan's loalists, had requested Khanna to convene an emergent SGM, which needs to be called in 10 days.
BCCI Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry also wrote to Khanna requesting for an early SGM, so that board members can take a call on the appointment of ombudsman.
"As per constitution of the BCCI, an ombudsman can be appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). And moreover the matter (appointment of ombudsman) is already sub-judice," Khanna replied to Chaudhry.
Khanna also sought BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary's view.
"Why would Khanna or Amitabh sign the notice for convening Special General Meeting when the matter is in Supreme Court. There would be a risk of Contempt of Court," a senior BCCI official privy to the development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
However, the official agreed that CoA chief Vinod Rai should have vetoed co-member Diana Edulji's demand for provisional suspension and taken a call on quantum of suspension for the two suspended cricketers.
"As per protocol, Mr Rai sought Diana's suggestion but he could easily overrule her view of getting a legal opinion, which started this mess. He (Rai) could have easily done what he did in the women's coach selection case," the official observed.
The acting president urged the CoA and BCCI office-bearers to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
"What Mr. Hardik Pandya said and Mr. K.L. Rahul acted as a by-stander to is inappropriate and absolutely wrong, but in my personal opinion, to treat them like lawbreakers is wrong too," he wrote.
"Both these cricketers need game time before the World Cup which starts in four months time. We should give these growing cricketers chance to correct themselves morally," he signed off.
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Jharkhand horror: Man kills live-in partner, chops body into 40 pieces
Ranchi (PTI): A 25-year-old man, who works as a butcher, allegedly strangled to death his live-in partner and chopped her body into 40 to 50 pieces in a forested area in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Naresh Bhengra, was arrested.
The matter came to light after around a fortnight after the killing when a stray dog was found with human body parts near Jordag village in Jariagarh police station on November 24.
Bhengra was in a live-in relationship with the deceased, a 24-year-old woman also from Khunti district, in Tamil Nadu for the past couple of years. Sometime back, he returned to Jharkhand, got married to another woman without telling his partner anything and went back to the southern state without his wife to join her.
"The brutal incident occurred on November 8 when they reached Khunti as the accused who had married another woman did not wish to take her home. Instead, he took her to a forest near his house at Jordag village in Jariagarh police station and chopped the body into pieces. The man has been arrested," Khunti Superintendent of Police Aman Kumar told PTI.
Inspector Ashok Singh who investigated the case said the man worked in a butcher shop in Tamil Nadu and was expert in slicing chicken.
“He admitted chopping the body parts of the woman into 40 to 50 pieces before leaving those in the forest for wild animals to feast on. The police recovered several parts on November 24 after a dog in the area was seen with a hand," Singh told PTI.
Singh said that the woman, who was unaware of his marriage, pressured him to return to Khunti. After reaching Ranchi, they boarded a train on November 24 and headed to the man's village.
"Under a plan, the man took her to Khunti in an autorickshaw near his home and asked her to wait. He returned with sharp weapons and strangulated her with her dupatta after raping her. He then cut the body into 40 to 50 pieces and left for his home to live with his wife," Singh said.
The woman, however, had informed her mother that she had boarded a train and would be living with her partner, the police officer said.
Following the recovery of body parts, a bag was also found in the forest with the murdered woman's belongings including her Aadhaar card. The mother of the woman was called at the spot and she identified her daughter's belongings.
"The mother suspected the man behind the crime who after being nabbed by the police admitted to chopping the woman into pieces," the official added.
The incident has sent shockwaves among people in the region, with the Shraddha Walker murder case of 2022 still fresh in their memory.
Walker was killed by her live-in partner who chopped her body into pieces before dumping them in the jungle in South Delhi’s Mehrauli.
