IPL no more clean entertainment, says Bombay HC amid alleged violations of foreign exchange rules

The Bombay High Court on Monday said young players only wanted to make money by playing in the popular T20 cricket league IPL and that it was “no more a clean entertainment” in view of alleged violations of foreign exchange rules.

Young cricketers want to play in the popular T20 cricket league and “earn Rs five to ten crore in one tournament and not play for the country”, the court said.

A division bench of Justices SC Dharmadhikari and Bharati Dangre was hearing a petition filed by former IPL chairman Lalit Modi challenging a July 2015 order of the adjudicating authority of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) refusing him the permission to cross-examine witnesses in a FEMA case.

The ED has alleged violations of foreign exchange rules during the 2009 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) held in South Africa.

The adjudicating authority had recorded the statements of seven witnesses, including senior BCCI officials, against Modi, but did not allow him to cross-examine them.

Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, appearing for Modi, argued that his fundamental rights would be violated if he was not allowed to cross-examine the witnesses.

The court asked additional solicitor general Anil Singh, who appeared for the ED, what purpose was served by …read more