Ombudsman notice to Tendulkar, Laxman, cricketers doing voluntary service
New Delhi: Legendary Sachin Tendulkar and batting maestro VVS Laxman were Wednesday served notices by BCCI's Ombudsman-cum-Ethics Officer D K Jain for their alleged 'conflict of interest' by serving as mentors of IPL franchise as well as member of Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC).
Tendulkar is Mumbai Indians' mentor and Laxman is in the same capacity for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
This is the third case of conflict of interest allegation being filed after former skipper Sourav Ganguly had to appear before Justice (retd.) Jain for deposition for his triple role as CAB president, CAC member as well as advisor of Delhi Capitals.
All three were part of CAC that picked the senior national coach Ravi Shastri in July 2017, which was their last meeting.
However it has been learnt from BCCI sources that Tendulkar has no financial contract with Mumbai Indians and all three are doing voluntary service as members of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC).
"Since Ganguly was issued notice, the Ombudsman probably issued the notices to both Tendulkar and Laxman also. But I can confirm that Tendulkar doesn't take a single penny from Mumbai Indians. He is just doing voluntary service. Also in BCCI, he enever got paid for his services as CAC," a senior BCCI official privy to development told PTI.
Justice Jain in his notice (in possession of PTI) has asked both Tendulkar and Laxman to file written responses to the allegations by April 28 and has also simultaneously asked BCCI to file their response.
The complaint was filed by Sanjeev Gupta, a member of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA).
AS per the notice to Tendulkar and Laxman, Justice Jain wrote: "A complaint has been received by the Ethics Officer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (for short "the BCCI") under Article 39 of the Rules and Regulations of the BCCI, regarding certain acts, allegedly constituting as 'conflict of interest' on your part.
"You may file your written response to the accompanying Complaint, supported by duly executed affidavit, on or before 28th April 2019, with the Office of the Ethics Officer, BCCI, Mumbai for further proceedings in the matter," he further stated.
The Ombudsman stated that failure to respond will mean that no further chance to explain their points of view will be given.
"On your failure to respond to the present notice, the Ethics Officer shall be constrained to proceed in your absence, without giving any further opportunity of filing a response to the Complaint, to you.
"A copy of this Notice is also being sent to the BCCI, to enable it to file its response to the accompanying complaint, in writing on or before 28th April 2019 before the Ethics Officer," Justice Jain wrote.
Tendulkar, who celebrated his 46th birthday on Wednesday, and Laxman were not available for comments.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
