Published: Aug 11, 2015, 10:27 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 11, 2015, 10:27 AM (IST)
Senior Congress Leader Kabil Sibal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) President Amit Shah for helping industrialist Gautam Adani, in the bid to own an Indian premier League (IPL) team, by manipulating bids with the help of Lalit Modi in 2009-10. Shah and Narendra Modi were the president and vice-president of the Gujarat Cricket Association. The congressman alleged that Lalit Modi, who was then IPL chairman, had brought now the severity of the tender conditions, thereby favouring the industrialist. Also, he claimed that an inquiry committee under Arun Jaitley had held that the objective of Lalit Modi was to “restrict the number of bidders to favour Videocon and Adani groups”. READ: Lalit Modi planning another cricketing system, rival to ICC
According to a report from Indian Express, Sibal said,” Documentary evidence suggests that the then CM of Gujarat, Narendra Modi along with Amit Shah was apparently involved in manipulating bids with the help of Lalit Modi to ensure that the Gujarat Cricket Association with Narendra Modi as president and Amit Shah, his Man Friday as vice-president, favours Narendra Modi’s omnipresent friend Gautam Adani with an IPL franchise by imposing onerous conditions through a carefully crafted strategy. The Adani Group and Videocon were being helped to seek a franchise for an IPL Team for Ahmedabad.”
There were reports regarding a disciplinary committee led by Arun Jaitley had proved Lalit Modi guilty in favouring the bids for two specific franchises—Adani group and Videocon—during the 2010 IPL bidding. Following complaints from other franchises like Sahara and Dainik Jagran, the BCCI decided to scrap the dubious tender on March 7, 2010. READ: Mumbai court issues non-bailable arrest warrant against Lalit Modi
