CAB secretary Aditya Verma urges ICC to "stop" Srinivasan

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary Aditya Verma on Thursday urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to "stop" incumbent chairman N. Srinivasan from holding on to the position till he was being probed by a high level panel constituted by the Supreme Court of India.

The Supreme Court of India has constituted the Justice Lodha Commission to make administrative reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Srinivasan is being probed by the panel for his role in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match fixing scam and is awaiting the verdict on his conduct as the BCCI president during the scandal.

"ICC being the highest cricket body in the world was expected to restrain Mr. N. Srinivasan from taking charge as Chairman ICC since Mr. N. Srinivasan was being subjected to probe by a high level panel appointed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. But that was not to be," Verma wrote in his letter.

"Hence Cricket Association of Bihar was constrained to move the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the vacation court by filing an application to restrain BCCI from nominating Mr. N. Srinivasan as Chairman ICC."

"The Cricket Association of Bihar will be relentless in its pursuit to prevent the tainted Mr. N. Srinivasan from heading the highest International Cricketing Body," he added.

Verma said that CAB will soon file an application before the Supreme Court of India to "implead" ICC in the case and question the conduct of world cricket's governing body.

"The Association will file an application in the pending case before the Hon'ble Supreme Court to implead ICC in the case questioning the conduct of ICC which has its own Anti Corruption unit in allowing a person facing probe into his role in the IPL scam by a Supreme Court appointed panel to assume office of Chairman ICC without regard for institutional integrity."

Verma said CAB will urge the Supreme Court of India to "direct" Srinivasan to step down as the ICC chairman.

"The CAB will seek a direction to ICC from the Hon'ble Supreme Court to direct Mr.N.Srinivasan to step down as ICC Chairman. CAB is confident of getting favourable orders against ICC in view of the high standards of probity and integrity set by the Hon'ble Supreme court for all public bodies," the letter said.

Verma also pointed out the irony of allowing a man "unfit" to be BCCI president to become the ICC chairman, inviting "public ridicule" and questioning its insensitivity to public opinion and standards of probity and institutional integrity.

"So kindly take my request seriously and stop Mr. N. Srinivasan to function as Chairman of ICC till the Supreme Court constituted Justice Lodha Commission verdict," he said.