Friday, January 23, 2015

“Deferring cross examination for a long time is anathema to the concept of fair trail”: SC

Reportable
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 554 OF 2012
Vinod Kumar ... Appellant
Versus
State of Punjab ... Respondent
J U D G M E N T
Dipak Misra, J.
If one is asked a question, what afflicts the legally
requisite criminal trial in its conceptual eventuality in this
country the two reasons that may earn the status of
phenomenal signification are, first, procrastination of trial
due to non-availability of witnesses when the trial is in
progress and second, unwarranted adjournments sought
by the counsel conducting the trial and the unfathomable
reasons for acceptation of such prayers for adjournmentsby the trial courts, despite a statutory command under
Section 309 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC)
and series of pronouncements by this Court. What was a
malady at one time, with the efflux of time, has
metamorphosed into malignancy. What was a mere
disturbance once has become a disorder, a diseased one, at
present.
2. The instant case frescoes and depicts a scenario that
exemplifies how due to passivity of the learned trial Judge,
a witness, despite having stood embedded absolutely firmly
in his examination-in-chief, has audaciously and, in a way,
obnoxiously, thrown all the values to the wind, and paved
the path of tergiversation. It would not be a hyperbole to
say that it is a maladroit and ingeniously designed attempt
to strangulate and crucify the fundamental purpose of trial,
that is, to arrive at the truth on the basis of evidence on
record. The redeeming feature is, despite the malevolent
and injurious assault, the cause of justice has survived,
for there is, in the ultimate eventuate, a conviction which is
under assail in this appeal, by special leave.
23. The narration of the sad chronology shocks the
judicial conscience and gravitates the mind to pose a
question, is it justified for any conscientious trial Judge to
ignore the statutory command, not recognize “the felt
necessities of time” and remain impervious to the cry of the
collective asking for justice or give an indecent and
uncalled for burial to the conception of trial, totally
ostracizing the concept that a civilized and orderly society
thrives on rule of law which includes “fair trial” for the
accused as well as the prosecution.
4. In the aforesaid context, we may recapitulate a
passage from Gurnaib Singh V. State of Punjab.
1
“...... We are compelled to proceed to reiterate the
law and express our anguish pertaining to the
manner in which the trial was conducted as it
depicts a very disturbing scenario. As is
demonstrable from the record, the trial was
conducted in an extremely haphazard and
piecemeal manner. Adjournments were granted
on a mere asking. The cross-examination of the
witnesses was deferred without recording any
special reason and dates were given after a long
gap. The mandate of the law and the views
expressed by this Court from time to time
appears to have been totally kept at bay. The
learned trial Judge, as is perceptible, seems to
have ostracised from his memory that a criminal
1
 (2013) 7 SCC 108
3trial has its own gravity and sanctity. In this
regard, we may refer with profit to the
pronouncement in Talab Haji Hussain v.
Madhukar Purshottam Mondkar2
 wherein it has
been stated that an accused person by his
conduct cannot put a fair trial into jeopardy, for
it is the primary and paramount duty of the
criminal courts to ensure that the risk to fair
trial is removed and trials are allowed to proceed
smoothly without any interruption or
obstruction.”
5. Be it noted, in the said case, the following passage
from Swaran Singh V. State of Punjab3
, was reproduced.
“It has become more or less a fashion to have a
criminal case adjourned again and again till the
witness tires and gives up. It is the game of
unscrupulous lawyers to get adjournments for
one excuse or the other till a witness is won over
or is tired. Not only is a witness threatened, he is
abducted, he is maimed, he is done away with, or
even bribed. There is no protection for him. In
adjourning the matter without any valid cause a
court unwittingly becomes party to miscarriage of
justice.”
6. In this regard, it is also fruitful to refer to the
authority in State of U.P. V. Shambu Nath Singh4
,
wherein this Court deprecating the practice of a Sessions
2
 AIR 1958 SC 376
3
 (2000) 5 SCC 668
4
 (2001) 5 SCC 667
4Court adjourning a case in spite of the presence of the
witnesses willing to be examined fully, opined thus:
“9. We make it abundantly clear that if a witness
is present in court he must be examined on that
day. The court must know that most of the
witnesses could attend the court only at heavy
cost to them, after keeping aside their own
avocation. Certainly they incur suffering and loss
of income. The meagre amount of bhatta
(allowance) which a witness may be paid by the
court is generally a poor solace for the financial
loss incurred by him. It is a sad plight in the trial
courts that witnesses who are called through
summons or other processes stand at the
doorstep from morning till evening only to be told
at the end of the day that the case is adjourned
to another day. This primitive practice must be
reformed by the presiding officers of the trial
courts and it can be reformed by everyone
provided the presiding officer concerned has a
commitment towards duty.”
7. With the aforesaid concern and agony, we shall
presently proceed to adumbrate the necessitous facts. We
have already stated that despite the impasse, there is a
conviction by the trial Judge and an affirmation thereof by
the High Court. Elucidating the factual score, be it noted,
the instant appeal is directed against the judgment and
order dated 13.10.2011 passed by the High Court of
Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh in Criminal Appeal No.
51280-SB of 2001 (O&M) wherein the learned Single Judge
has given the stamp of approval to the judgment and order
dated 24.10.2001 passed by the learned Special Judge,
Patiala whereby he had convicted the appellant under
Section 7 and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act,
1988 (for brevity, ‘the Act’) and sentenced him to undergo
rigorous imprisonment for a period of two years and to pay
a fine of Rs.2,000/- with a default clause.
8. The prosecution case, as has been unfurled, is that
Baj Singh, PW-5, used to bring earth in tractor trolley
within the municipal area of Rajpura. The appellant, at the
relevant time, was posted as Octroi Inspector and he
demanded Rs.20/- per trolley for permitting him to enter
into the municipal area. Eventually, a deal was struck that
the accused-appellant would be paid Rs.500/- per month
for the smooth operation. As the prosecution story further
unfolds, on 25.1.1995, Baj Singh met Jagdish Verma,
PW-7, and disclosed before him the fact about the demand
of the accused for permitting the entry of the tractor trolley
inside the municipal area and thereafter, as he was not
6desirous of obliging the accused, he narrated the entire
story to DSP Vigilance, who in his turn, with the intention
to lay the trap, explained it to Baj Singh, PW-5, and
Jagdish Verma, PW-7 about the procedure of the trap. As
alleged, Baj Singh gave five notes of Rs.100/- to the DSP
Vigilance who noted the numbers of the notes and
completed other formalities like applying phenolphthalein
powder on the currency notes. Thereafter, they proceeded
to the place of the accused and a trap was laid. Eventually,
currency notes amounting to Rs.500/- were recovered from
the trouser of the appellant and were taken into
possession. The statements of the witnesses were recorded
and after completing the investigation chargesheet was
placed for the offences punishable under Sections 7 and
13(2) of the Act.
9. To bring home the charges against the
accused-appellant, the prosecution examined eight
witnesses. PW-1 to PW-4 are formal witnesses. PW-5, the
complainant resiled from his previous statement and was
cross-examined by the prosecution. Sher Singh, PW-6, a
7clerk in the office of Tehsildar, Rajpura had joined the
police party as an independent witness. He supported the
case of the prosecution in detail. Jagdish Verma, PW-7, in
his examination-in-chief, supported the prosecution case in
all aspects, but in cross-examination, resiled from his
examination-in-chief. The witness, PW-7, was declared
hostile on a prayer being made by the Public Prosecutor
and was re-examined. Narinder Pal Kaushal, PW-8, DSP of
Vigilance Bureau who had led the raiding party on
25.1.1995, in his deposition, deposed in detail about the
conducting of the raid and recovery of the amount.
10. The accused, in his statement under Section 313
CrPC, denied the allegations and took the plea of false
implication due to party faction and animosity. It was his
further stand that he was brought from his office and was
taken to the office of the Tehsildar and thereafter to the
Vigilance office.
11. The learned trial Judge, on the basis of the evidence
brought on record, came to hold that though the
complainant had not supported the case of the prosecution
8yet prosecution had been able to prove the demand and
acceptance of the bribe and the recovery of the tainted
money from the accused and, therefore, the presumption
as envisaged under Section 20 of the Act would get
attracted and accordingly convicted the accused and
sentenced him, as has been stated hereinbefore.
12. In appeal, it was contended before the High Court that
when the testimony of Baj Singh, PW-5, and Jagdish
Verma, PW-7, the shadow witness, was absolutely
incredible, the same could not have been pervertedly
filtered by the learned trial Judge to convict the
accused-appellant for the crime in question. It was also
urged that mere recovery of the currency notes would not
constitute the offence under Section 7 of the Act. It was
also propounded that the offence under Section 13(2) of the
Act would not get attracted unless the demand and
acceptance were proven. Non-involvement of any
independent witness in the raid was also seriously
criticised. The High Court posed the question whether the
prosecution had been able to prove the factum of demand
9of bribe, its acceptance and the recovery of the money from
the possession of the accused. With regard to demand of
bribe, the High Court placed reliance on the testimony of
the independent witness Sher Singh, PW-6, and the
examination–in-chief of Jagdish Verma, PW-7, and came to
hold that the demand of bribe had been proven. It
appreciated the deposition of PW-7 and the documents,
especially, the Chemical Examiner’s report of the hand
wash liquid and came to hold there had been acceptance of
bribe. Relating to the recovery of the tainted money, the
High Court took note of the fact that the ocular testimony
had been duly corroborated by the documentary evidence
and hence, the recovery had been proved.
13. Be it noted, the High Court placed reliance upon
Raghubir Singh V. State of Haryana5
 and Madhukar
Bhaskarrao Joshi V. State of Maharashtra6
 and
eventually came to hold that the prosecution had proven its
case to the hilt and resultantly affirmed the conviction and
order of sentence passed by the trial Court, but reduced
the sentence of 2 years’ rigorous imprisonment to one year.
5
 (1974) 4 SCC 560
6
 (2000) 8 SCC 571
1014. Criticizing the conviction as recorded by the learned
trial Judge and affirmed by the High Court, it is submitted
by Mr. Jain, learned senior counsel for the appellant that
when the informant had not supported the case of the
prosecution, it was not justifiable on the part of the learned
trial Judge to record a conviction against the accused. It is
his submission that on the basis of the testimony of PW-6
to PW-8, the conviction could not have been recorded, for
Sher Singh, PW-6, is not a witness either to the demand or
acceptance of the bribe by the appellant and further the
version PW-7 requires careful scrutiny, regard being had to
the fact that he is a hostile witness. It is also urged that
the evidence of PW-8 deserves to be discarded as he is an
interested witness. To bolster the aforesaid submissions,
learned senior counsel has drawn inspiration from B.
Jayaraj V. State of Andhra Pradesh7
 and M.R.
Purushotham Vs. State of Karnataka8
.
15. Apart from above, it is further put forth by him that
as PW-7 has not supported the prosecution story and
stated to have been tutored to give statement, his whole
7
 (2014) 4 SCALE 81
8
 (2014) 11 SCALE 467
11testimony should have been thrown out of consideration
and no reliance should have been placed on it. It is
contended by him that the High Court has failed to
appreciate the importance of cross-examination of PW-7
and hence, the judgment affirming the conviction is
absolutely flawed. To buttress the said submission,
reliance has been placed on Sat Paul V. Delhi
Administration9
. It is the further stand of Mr. Jain,
learned senior counsel that the evidence of the trap
witnesses, PW-6 and PW-8 should have been wholly
ignored as they are partisan witnesses and their statements
could not have been given any credence to inasmuch as
there has been no corroboration. In this context, he has
commended us to the authorities in State of Bihar V.
Basawan Singh (CB)10, Major E.G. Barsey V. State of
Bombay11, Bhanupratap Hariprasad Dave V. State of
Gujarat12 and MO Shamshuddin V. State of Kerala13
.
9
 (1976) 1 SCC 727
10 (1959) SCR 195
11 (1962) 2 SCR 195
12 (1969) 1 SCR 22
13 (1995) 3 SCC 351
1216. Learned senior counsel would contend, solely on the
basis of evidence of recovery, a conviction is not
sustainable and in the obtaining factual matrix, the
presumption under Section 20 of the Act would not be
attracted. To substantiate the said proposition, strength
has been drawn from C.M. Girish Babu V. C.B.I., Cochin14
and Benarsi Das V. State of Haryana15
.
17. The last plank of submission of Mr. Jain, is that in
the instant case, the prosecution was launched by Narinder
Pal Kaushal, PW-8, who has investigated into the case and,
therefore, the concept of fair investigation, has been totally
marred as a consequence of which, the trial is vitiated.
Learned senior counsel would contend that a person who is
a part of the trap party is an interested witness and he
would be enthusiastic to see that the trap is sustained in
every manner and in such a situation, it is per se an unfair
and biased investigation that frustrates the essential
principle inhered under Article 21 of the Constitution and
eventually the trial.
14 (2009) 3 SCC 779
15 (2010) 4 SCC 450
1318. Mr. Madhukar, learned senior counsel appearing for
the State of Punjab, per contra, would contend that the
view expressed by the learned trial Judge and the High
Court cannot be found fault with, for a conviction under
the Act can be based on the evidence of trap witnesses, if
they are trustworthy and the ingredients of the offence are
satisfied and in the case at hand, the High Court on x-ray
of the evidence has so recorded. It is urged by him that
neither the learned trial Judge nor the High Court has
fallen into error by applying the principle of presumption as
engrafted under Section 20 of the Act. It is canvassed by
Mr. Madhukar that the evidence of the hostile witness can
be placed reliance upon by the prosecution and in the
obtaining factual matrix, the testimony of PW-7, one of the
shadow witnesses, renders immense assistance for
establishing the case of the prosecution. He has with great
pains, taken us through the evidence to substantiate the
stand that the conviction recorded against the appellant is
totally defensible.
1419. Keeping in abeyance what we intend to say on the
facet of anguish expressed by us in the beginning, we shall
proceed to deal with the proponement of Mr. Jain that
when the investigation conducted by Mr. Narinder Pal
Kaushal, PW-8, is vitiated on the foundation that he has
lodged the FIR, the trial is also vitiated. Though the said
submission has been raised and taken note of by us as the
last plank, yet we think it seemly to deal with it first as it
goes to the root of the matter. On a perusal of the material
on record, it is manifest that PW-8 is a part of the raiding
party, a shadow witness, and admittedly had also sent the
complaint through a Constable to the concerned police
station for lodging of FIR. This being the factual score, we
are required to take note of certain authorities in this
regard. In Basawan Singh (supra), the Constitution
Bench, after referring to the decision in Shiv Bahadur
Singh V. State of Vindhya Pradesh16, opined that the
said decision does not lay down an invariable rule that the
evidence of the witness of the raiding party must be
16 AIR 1954 SC 322
15discarded in the absence of any independent corroboration.
The larger Bench proceeded to state thus:
“......The correct rule is this: if any of the
witnesses are accomplices who are particeps
criminis in respect of the actual crime charged,
their evidence must be treated as the evidence of
accomplices is treated; if they are not
accomplices but are partisan or interested
witnesses, who are concerned in the success of
the trap, their evidence must be tested in the
same way as other interested evidence is tested
by the application of diverse consideration which
must vary from case to case, and in a proper
case, the Court may even look for independent
corroboration before convicting the accused
person. If a Magistrate puts himself in the
position of a partisan or interested witness, he
cannot claim any higher status and must be
treated as any other interested witness.”
20. In Major E.G. Barsey (supra), while dealing with the
evidence of a trap witness, the court opined that though a
trap witness is not an approver, he is certainly an
interested witness in the sense that he is interested to see
that the trap laid by him succeeds. The Court further laid
down that he can at least be equated with a partisan
witness and it would not be admissible to rely upon his
evidence without corroboration, but his evidence is not a
tainted one.
1621. In Bhanupratap Hariprasad Dave (supra), the
Court observed that the police witnesses can be said to be
partisan witnesses as they are interested in the success of
the trap laid by them, but it cannot be said that they are
accomplices. Thereafter, the Court proceeded to state that
their evidence must be tested in the same way as any other
interested witness is tested and in an appropriate case, the
Court may look for independent corroboration before
convicting the accused person. The three-Judge Bench
reiterated the principle thus:
“....It is now well settled by a series of decisions
of this Court that while in the case of evidence of
an accomplice, no conviction can be based on his
evidence unless it is corroborated in material
particulars but as regards the evidence of a
partisan witness it is open to a court to convict
an accused person solely on the basis of that
evidence, if it is satisfied that that evidence is
reliable. But it may in appropriate case look for
corroboration”.
22. In MO Shamshuddin (supra), the Court, after
referring to the decisions in DPP V. Hester17 and DPP V.
Kilbourne18, made a distinction between accomplice and
an interested witness. The Court, referred to the authority
17 (1972) 3 All ER 1056
18 (1973) 1 All ER 440
17in Basawan Singh (supra) at length and eventually
adverted to the concept of corroborating evidence. In that
context it has been ruled thus:
“.......Now coming to the nature of corroborating
evidence that is required, it is well-settled that
the corroborating evidence can be even by way of
circumstantial evidence. No general rule can be
laid down with respect to quantum of evidence
corroborating the testimony of a trap witness
which again would depend upon its own facts
and circumstances like the nature of the crime,
the character of trap witness etc. and other
general requirements necessary to sustain the
conviction in that case. The court should weigh
the evidence and then see whether corroboration
is necessary. Therefore as a rule of law it cannot
be laid down that the evidence of every
complainant in a bribery case should be
corroborated in all material particulars and
otherwise it cannot be acted upon. Whether
corroboration is necessary and if so to what
extent and what should be its nature depends
upon the facts and circumstances of each case.
In a case of bribe, the person who pays the bribe
and those who act as intermediaries are the only
persons who can ordinarily be expected to give
evidence about the bribe and it is not possible to
get absolutely independent evidence about the
payment of bribe.”
From the aforesaid authorities it is clear that a trap
witness is an interested witness and his testimony, to be
accepted and relied upon requires corroboration and the
corroboration would depend upon the facts and
18circumstances, nature of the crime and the character of the
trap witness.
23. There is no doubt that the status of PW8 is that of an
interested witness. There is no cavil over the fact that he
had sent the FIR and conducted the investigation, but the
question posed is whether the investigation by him is
vitiated. In this context we may, with profit, refer to the
decision in Bhagwan Singh V. State of Rajasthan19
,
where one Ram Singh, who was a Head Constable, was the
person to whom the offer of bribe was alleged to have been
made by the appellant therein and he was the informant
who had lodged the First Information Report for taking
action against the appellant. He himself had undertaken
the investigation. In that factual backdrop the Court ruled
thus:
“Now, ordinarily this Court does not interfere
with concurrent findings of fact reached by the
trial court and the High Court on an appreciation
of the evidence. But this is one of those rare and
exceptional cases where we find that several
important circumstances have not been taken
into account by the trial court and the High
Court and that has resulted in serious
miscarriage of justice calling for interference from
19 (1976) 1 SCC 15
19this Court. We may first refer to a rather
disturbing feature of this case. It is indeed such
an unusual feature that it is quite surprising
that it should have escaped the notice of the trial
court and the High Court. Head Constable Ram
Singh was the person to whom the offer of bribe
was alleged to have been made by the appellant
and he was the informant or complainant who
lodged the first information report for taking
action against the appellant. It is difficult to
understand how in these circumstances Head
Constable Ram Singh could undertake
investigation of the case. How could the
complainant himself be the investigator? In fact,
Head Constable Ram Singh, being an officer
below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of
Police, was not authorised to investigate the case
but we do not attach any importance to that fact,
as that may not affect the validity of the
conviction. The infirmity which we are pointing
out is not an infirmity arising from investigation
by an officer not authorised to do so, but an
infirmity arising from investigation by a Head
Constable who was himself the person to whom
the bribe was alleged to have been offered and
who lodged the first information report as
informant or complainant. This is an infirmity
which is bound to reflect on the credibility of the
prosecution case”.
24. In Megha Singh V. State of Haryana20, the Court
noticed the discrepancy in the depositions of PW-2 and
PW-3 and absence of independent corroboration. Be it
noted, the Court was dealing with an offence under Section
6(1) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention)
20 (1996) 11 SCC 709
20Act, 1985. In that context the Court observed that the
testimony of the said witnesses did not inspire confidence
about the reliability of the prosecution’s case. Proceeding
further, the Court held:
“.... We have also noted another disturbing
feature in this case. PW 3, Siri Chand, Head
Constable arrested the accused and on search
being conducted by him a pistol and the
cartridges were recovered from the accused. It
was on his complaint a formal first information
report was lodged and the case was initiated. He
being complainant should not have proceeded
with the investigation of the case. But it appears
to us that he was not only the complainant in the
case but he carried on with the investigation and
examined witnesses under Section 161 CrPC.
Such practice, to say the least, should not be
resorted to so that there may not be any occasion
to suspect fair and impartial investigation”.
25. In this regard, it is useful to refer to the
pronouncement in State vs. V. Jayapaul21 wherein the
Court posed the question whether the High Court was
justified in quashing the criminal proceedings on the
ground that the police officer, who had lodged/recorded the
FIR regarding the suspected commission of certain
cognizable offence by the respondent should not have
investigated the case. The case against the accused was
21 (2004) 5 SCC 223
21that he was indulging in corrupt practices by extracting
money from the drivers and owners of the motor-vehicles
while conducting check of the vehicles and making use of
certain bogus notice forms in the process. The
charge-sheet was filed under Sections 420 and 201 I.P.C.
and Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Act. The
Court referred to the decision in the State of U.P. V.
Bhagwant Kishore Joshi22, wherein it has been ruled
thus:
“Section 154 of the Code prescribes the mode of
recording the information received orally or in
writing by an officer in charge of a police station
in respect of the commission of a cognisable
offence. Section 156 thereof authorises such an
officer to investigate any cognisable offence
prescribed therein. Though ordinarily
investigation is undertaken on information
received by a police officer, the receipt of
information is not a condition precedent for
investigation. Section 157 prescribes the
procedure in the matter of such an investigation
which can be initiated either on information or
otherwise. It is clear from the said provisions
that an officer in charge of a police station can
start investigation either on information or
otherwise.”
26. After reproducing the said paragraph, the Court
proceeded to state thus:
22 AIR 1964 SC 221
22“Though there is no such statutory bar, the
premise on which the High Court quashed the
proceedings was that the investigation by the
same officer who “lodged” the FIR would
prejudice the accused inasmuch as the
investigating officer cannot be expected to act
fairly and objectively. We find no principle or
binding authority to hold that the moment the
competent police officer, on the basis of
information received, makes out an FIR
incorporating his name as the informant, he
forfeits his right to investigate. If at all, such
investigation could only be assailed on the
ground of bias or real likelihood of bias on the
part of the investigating officer. The question of
bias would depend on the facts and
circumstances of each case and it is not proper
to lay down a broad and unqualified proposition,
in the manner in which it has been done by the
High Court, that whenever a police officer
proceeds to investigate after registering the FIR
on his own, the investigation would necessarily
be unfair or biased. In the present case, the
police officer received certain discreet
information, which, according to his assessment,
warranted a probe and therefore made up his
mind to investigate. The formality of preparing
the FIR in which he records the factum of having
received the information about the suspected
commission of the offence and then taking up the
investigation after registering the crime, does not,
by any semblance of reasoning, vitiate the
investigation on the ground of bias or the like
factor. If the reason which weighed with the High
Court could be a ground to quash the
prosecution, the powers of investigation
conferred on the police officers would be unduly
hampered for no good reason. What is expected
to be done by the police officers in the normal
23course of discharge of their official duties will
then be vulnerable to attack.”
Be it noted, the Court distinguished the decisions in
Bhagwant Kishore Joshi (supra) and Megha Singh
(supra).
27. At this juncture, it would be fruitful to refer to
S.Jeevanatham V. State (through Inspector of Police,
T.N.)23. In the said case, the appellant was found guilty
under Section 8(c) read with Section 20(b)(ii) of the Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. One of the
contentions that was canvassed was that PW-8, who lodged
the FIR had himself conducted the investigation and hence,
the entire investigation was vitiated. The Court referred to
the decision in Jayapaul (supra) and opined thus:
“In the instant case, PW 8 conducted the search
and recovered the contraband article and
registered the case and the article seized from the
appellants was narcotic drug and the counsel for
the appellants could not point out any
circumstances by which the investigation caused
prejudice or was biased against the appellants.
PW 8 in his official capacity gave the information,
registered the case and as part of his official duty
later investigated the case and filed a
charge-sheet. He was not in any way personally
23 (2004) 5 SCC 230
24interested in the case. We are unable to find any
sort of bias in the process of investigation.”
28. In the instant case, PW-8, who was a member of the
raiding party had sent the report to the police station and
thereafter carried the formal investigation. In fact, nothing
has been put to him to elicit that he was anyway personally
interested to get the appellant convicted. In our considered
view, the decision in S. Jeevanatham (supra) would be
squarely applicable to the present case and, accordingly,
without any reservation we repel the submission so
assiduously urged by Mr. Jain, learned senior counsel for
the appellant.
29. The next aspect which requires to be adverted to is
whether testimony of a hostile evidence that has come on
record should be relied upon or not. Mr. Jain, learned
senior counsel for the appellant would contend that as
PW-7 has totally resiled in his cross-examination, his
evidence is to be discarded in toto. On a perusal of the
testimony of the said witness, it is evincible that in
examination-in-chief, he has supported the prosecution
story in entirety and in the cross-examination he has taken
25the path of prevarication. In Bhagwan Singh V. State of
Haryana24, it has been laid down that even if a witness is
characterised has a hostile witness, his evidence is not
completely effaced. The said evidence remains admissible
in the trial and there is no legal bar to base a conviction
upon his testimony, if corroborated by other reliable
evidence. In Khuji @ Surendra Tiwari V. State of
Madhya Pradesh25, the Court after referring to the
authorities in Bhagwan Singh (supra), Rabindra Kumar
Dey V. State of Orissa26 and Syad Akbar V. State of
Karnataka27, opined that the evidence of such a witness
cannot be effaced or washed off the record altogether, but
the same can be accepted to the extent it is found to be
dependable on a careful scrutiny thereof.
30. In this context, we think it apt to reproduce some
passages from Rammi @ Rameshwar V. State of Madhya
Pradesh28, where the Court was dealing with the purpose
24 (1976) 1 SCC 389
25 (1991) 3 SCC 627
26 (1976) 4 SCC 233
27 (1980) 1 SCC 30
28 (1999) 8 SCC 649
26of re-examination. After referring to Section 138 of the
Evidence Act, the Court held thus:
“There is an erroneous impression that
re-examination should be confined to clarification
of ambiguities which have been brought down in
cross-examination. No doubt, ambiguities can be
resolved through re-examination. But that is not
the only function of the re-examiner. If the party
who called the witness feels that explanation is
required for any matter referred to in
cross-examination he has the liberty to put any
question in re-examination to get the
explanation. The Public Prosecutor should
formulate his questions for that purpose.
Explanation may be required either when the
ambiguity remains regarding any answer elicited
during cross-examination or even otherwise. If
the Public Prosecutor feels that certain answers
require more elucidation from the witness he has
the freedom and the right to put such questions
as he deems necessary for that purpose, subject
of course to the control of the court in
accordance with the other provisions. But the
court cannot direct him to confine his questions
to ambiguities alone which arose in
cross-examination.
Even if the Public Prosecutor feels that new
matters should be elicited from the witness he
can do so, in which case the only requirement is
that he must secure permission of the court. If
the court thinks that such new matters are
necessary for proving any material fact, courts
must be liberal in granting permission to put
necessary questions”.
2731. We have reproduced the aforesaid paragraphs to
highlight that when the prosecution has such a right in the
process of re-examination, as a natural corollary, the
testimony of a hostile witness cannot be brushed aside. On
the contrary, both the prosecution and the defence can rely
for their stand and stance. Emphasis on re-examination by
the prosecution is not limited to any answer given in the
cross-examination, but the Public Prosecutor has the
freedom and right to put such questions as it deems
necessary to elucidate certain answers from the witness. It
is not confined to clarification of ambiguities, which have
been brought down in the cross-examination.
32. Mr. Jain, learned senior counsel has propounded that
testimony of PW7 deserves to be discredited, and the
learned trial Judge as well as the High Court having not
ignored have committed a grave error. We will be dealing
with the aspect whether the evidence of PW-7 should be
totally ignored or not while we will be dwelling upon the
credibility and acceptability of his testimony.
2833. As a contention has been raised that once the
informant has resiled totally from his earlier statement no
conviction can be recorded on the basis of evidence of the
trap witnesses, it required to be carefully dwelled upon. In
this regard, reference to the authority in Hazari Lal v.
State (Delhi Administration)29 would be apt. In the said
case a police Constable was convicted under Section 5(2) of
the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 on the allegation
that he had demanded and received Rs.60/- from the
informant who was examined as PW-3 and had resiled from
his previous statement and was declared hostile by the
prosecution. Official witnesses had supported the
prosecution version. Keeping in mind the evidence of the
official witnesses the trial Court had convicted the
appellant therein which was affirmed by the High Court. A
contention was raised that in the absence of any direct
evidence to show that the police constable demanded or
accepted bribery no presumption under Section 4 of the
Act, 1947 could be drawn merely on the strength of
recovery of the marked currency notes from the said police
29 (1980) 2 SCC 390
29constable. Chinnappa Reddy, J. speaking for the
two-Judge Bench observed as follows:-
“...It is not necessary that the passing of
money should be proved by direct evidence.
It may also be proved by circumstantial
evidence. The events which followed in quick
succession in the present case lead to the
only inference that the money was obtained
by the accused from PW 3. Under Section
114 of the Evidence Act the court may
presume the existence of any fact which it
thinks likely to have happened, regard being
had to the common course of natural events,
human conduct and public and private
business, in their relation to facts of the
particular case. One of the illustrations to
Section 114 of the Evidence Act is that the
court may presume that a person who is in
possession of the stolen goods soon after the
theft, is either the thief or has received the
goods knowing them to be stolen, unless he
can account for his possession. So too, in the
facts and circumstances of the present case
the court may presume that the accused who
took out the currency notes from his pocket
and flung them across the wall had obtained
them from PW 3, who a few minutes earlier
was shown to have been in possession of the
notes. Once we arrive at the finding that the
accused had obtained the money from PW 3,
the presumption under Section 4(1) of the
Prevention of Corruption Act is immediately
attracted.”
3034. It is pertinent to note here that in the aforesaid case
the decision rendered in Sita Ram v. State of
Rajasthan30 was pressed into service. In the case of Sita
Ram (supra) the complainant had turned hostile in the
court of Special Judge. However, the trial Judge convicted
the accused who was tried along with another accused,
namely, Vikram Singh. The High court on appreciation of
the evidence acquitted Vikram Singh but maintained the
conviction against Sita Ram. This Court opined that the
presumption under Section 4(1) of the 1947 Act could not
be drawn in the facts of the case. The question, whether
the rest of the evidence was sufficient to establish that the
accused had obtained the money from the complaint was
not considered. The Court in Hazari Lal (supra)
distinguished the pronouncement in Sita Ram (supra) by
stating thus:-
“...The question whether the rest of the
evidence was sufficient to establish that the
accused had obtained the money from the
complainant was not considered. All that was
taken as established was the recovery of
30 (1975) 2 SCC 227
31certain money from the person of the accused
and it was held that mere recovery of money
was not enough to entitle the drawing of the
presumption under Section 4(1) of the
Prevention of Corruption Act. The Court did
not consider the further question whether
recovery of the money along with other
circumstances could establish that the
accused had obtained gratification from any
person. In the present case we have found
that the circumstances established by the
prosecution entitled the court to hold that the
accused received the gratification from PW 3.
In Suraj Mal v. State (Delhi Admn.)31, also it
was said mere recovery of money divorced
from the circumstances under which it was
paid was not sufficient when the substantive
evidence in the case was not reliable to prove
payment of bribe or to show that the accused
voluntarily accepted the money. There can be
no quarrel with that proposition but where
the recovery of the money coupled with other
circumstances leads to the conclusion that
the accused received gratification from some
person the court would certainly be entitled to
draw the presumption under Section 4(1) of
the Prevention of Corruption Act. In our view
both the decisions are of no avail to the
appellant and as already observed by us
conclusions of fact must be drawn on the
facts of each case and not on the facts of
other cases.”
35. In this context it would be germane to understand
what has been stated in M. Narsinga Rao v. State of
A.P32
. In the said case, allegations against the accused-
31 (1979) 4 SCC 725
32 (2001) 1 SCC 691
32appellant were that one Satya Prasad, PW1 therein was to
get some amount from Andhra Pradesh Dairy Development
Cooperative Federation for transporting milk to or from the
milk chilling centre at Luxettipet (Adilabad District). He
had approached the appellant for taking steps to enable
him to get money disbursed. The appellant demanded
Rs.5000/- for sending the recommendation in favour of
payment of the amount due to PW1. As the appellant
persisted with his demand PW1 yielded to the same. But
before handing over the money to him he lodged a
complaint with DSP of Anti-Corruption Bureau. On the
basis of the said complaint all arrangements were made for
a trap to catch the corrupt public servant red-handed.
Thereafter the Court adverted how the trap had taken
place. The court took note of the fact that PW1 and PW2
made a volteface in the trial court and denied having paid
any bribery to the appellant and also denied that the
appellant demanded the bribe amount. The stand of the
accused before the trial court under Section 313 of CrPC
was that one Dr. Krishna Rao bore grudge and had
33orchestrated a false trap against him by employing PW1
and PW2. Be it stated, in his deposition PW1 had stated
that he had acted on the behest of one Dr. Krishna Rao. It
was further the stand of the accused-appellant that the
tainted currency notes were forcibly stuffed into his pocket.
The trial court and the High Court had disbelieved the
defence evidence and found that PW1 and PW2 were won
over by the appellant and that is why they turned hostile
against their own version recorded by the investigating
officer and subsequently by a Magistrate under Section 164
of CrPC. The Special Judge ordered the witnesses to be
prosecuted for perjury and the said course suggested by
the trial Judge found approval of the High Court also.
While dealing with the controversy this court took note of
the fact that the High Court had observed that though
there was no direct evidence to show that the accused had
demanded and accepted the money, yet the rest of the
evidence and the circumstances were sufficient to establish
that the accused had accepted the amount and that gave
rise to a presumption under Section 20 of the Prevention of
34Corruption Act that he accepted the same as illegal
gratification, particularly so, when the defence theory put
forth was not accepted. It was contended before this court
that presumption under Section 20 of the Act can be drawn
only when the prosecution succeeded in establishing with
direct evidence that the delinquent public servant had
accepted or obtained gratification. It was further urged
that it was not enough that some currency notes were
handed over to the pubic servant to make it acceptance of
gratification and it was incumbent on the part of the
prosecution to further prove that what was paid amounted
to gratification. In support of the said contention reliance
was placed on Sita Ram (supra) and Suraj Mal v. State
(Delhi Admn.)33
. The three-Judge Bench referred to
Section 20(1) of the Act, the pronouncements in Hawkins
v. Powells Tillery Steam Coal Co. Ltd34 and Suresh
Budharmal Kalani v. State of Maharashtra35 and
adverted to the facts and came to hold as follows:-
33 (1979) 4 SCC 725
34 (1911) 1 KB 988 : 1911 WN 53
35 (1998) 7 SCC 337
35“From those proved facts the court can
legitimately draw a presumption that the
appellant received or accepted the said currency
notes on his own volition. Of course, the said
presumption is not an inviolable one, as the
appellant could rebut it either through
cross-examination of the witnesses cited against
him or by adducing reliable evidence. But if the
appellant fails to disprove the presumption the
same would stick and then it can be held by the
court that the prosecution has proved that the
appellant received the said amount.”
36. It is apt to note here the three-Judge Bench referred
to the observations in Hazari Lal (supra) and opined
thus:-
“The aforesaid observation is in consonance
with the line of approach which we have
adopted now. We may say with great respect
to the learned Judges of the two-Judge Bench
that the legal principle on this aspect has
been correctly propounded therein.”
37. In this regard Mr. Jain has placed reliance on the
authority B. Jayaraj (supra). In the said case the
complainant did not support the prosecution version and
had stated in his deposition that the amount that was paid
by him to the accused was with a request that it may be
deposited in the bank as fee for renewal of his licence for
36the fair price shop. The court referred to Section 7 of the
Act and observed as follows:-
“Insofar as the offence under Section 7 is
concerned, it is a settled position in law
that demand of illegal gratification is sine
qua non to constitute the said offence and
mere recovery of currency notes cannot
constitute the offence under Section 7
unless it is proved beyond all reasonable
doubt that the accused voluntarily
accepted the money knowing it to be a
bribe. The above position has been
succinctly laid down in several judgment
of this Court. By way of illustration
reference may be made to the decision in
C.M. Sharma v. State of A.P.36 and C.M.
Girish Babu v. C.B.I.37

After so observing, the court proceeded to state thus:-
“In the present case, the complainant did
not support the prosecution case insofar
as demand by the accused is concerned.
The prosecution has not examined any
other witness, present at the time when
the money was allegedly handed over to
the accused by the complainant, to prove
that the same was pursuant to any
demand made by the accused. When the
complainant himself has disowned what
he had stated in the initial complaint
(exbt. P-11) before LW-9, and there is no
other evidence to prove that the accused
had made any demand, the evidence of
PW-1 and contents of Exbt. P-11 cannot
be relied upon to come to the conclusion
that the above material furnishes proof of
36 (2010) 15 SCC 1
37 (2009) 3 SCC 779
37the demand allegedly made by the
accused. We are, therefore, inclined to
hold that the Ld. Trial court as well as the
High Court was not correct in holding the
demand alleged to be made by the
accused as proved. The only other
material available is the recovery of the
tainted currency notes from the
possession of the accused. In fact, such
possession is admitted by the accused
himself. Mere possession and recovery of
the currency notes from the accused
without proof of demand will not bring
home the offence under Section 7. The
above also will be conclusive insofar as
the offence under Section 13(1)(d)(i)(ii) is
concerned as in the absence of any proof
of demand for illegal gratification, the use
of corrupt or illegal means or abuse of
position as a public servant to obtain any
valuable thing of pecuniary advantage
cannot be held to be established.”

38. The said principle has been followed in M.R.
Purushotham v. State of Karnataka38
. On an attentive
and cautious reading of the aforesaid decisions it is
noticeable that the court disbelieved the story of the
prosecution as no other evidence was brought on record.
In N. Narsinga Rao case the accused was charged for the
offences punishable under Sections 7 read with Section
13(1)(d) & (2) of the Act. The court, as we have stated
38 2014 (11) SCALE 467
38earlier, had referred to section 20(1) of the Act and opined
that from the proven facts the court can legitimately draw a
presumption that the delinquent officer had received and
accepted money. As we notice, the authorities in B.
Jayaraj (supra) and M.R. Purushotam (supra) do not lay
down as a proposition of law that when the complainant
turns hostile and does not support the case of the
prosecution, the prosecution cannot prove its case
otherwise and the court cannot legitimately draw the
presumption under Section 20 of the Act. Therefore the
proposition, though industriously, presented by Mr. Jain
that when Baj Singh, PW5, the complainant, had turned
hostile the whole case of the prosecution would collapse is
not acceptable and accordingly hereby rejected.
39. Presently, we shall refer to the evidence of PW6, a
clerk in the office of Tehsildar, Rajpura. He has deposed
that on 25.1.1995, on the day of the raid, he joined the
police party headed by Narinder Pal Kaushal, DSP, on the
instruction of Tehsildar. He was introduced to Baj Singh,
the complainant and Jagdish Verma, a shadow witness.
39Thereafter, the complainant and the shadow witness,
Jagdish Verma, were sent to the octroi post and he stopped
at some distance along with Narinder Pal Kaushal who was
waiting for signal and on receiving signal they went inside
the octroi post. As per his testimony Narinder Pal Kaushal
introduced himself as DSP and thereafter a glass of water
was procured and sodium was added to it. Both the hands
of the accused were dipped in the glass of water and the
water turned pink. On search of the accused Rs.500/- in
the denomination of Rs.100/- were recovered. The
numbers tallied with the numbers mentioned in the memo,
Ex. PE. The notes were taken into possession vide Ex. PH.
As is manifest that the said witness has supported the
story of the prosecution in toto. The submission of Mr.
Jain is that he is merely a witness to recovery and solely on
the basis of recovery no conviction can be recorded. There
can be no quarrel over the proposition that on the basis of
mere recovery an accused cannot be found guilty. It is the
settled principle of law that mere recovery of the tainted
money is not sufficient to record a conviction unless there
40is evidence that bribe had been demanded or money was
paid voluntarily as bribe. In the absence of any evidence
of demand and acceptance of the amount as illegal
gratification, recovery would not alone be a ground to
convict the accused. This has been so held in T.
Subramanian v. The State of Tamil Nadu39, Madhukar
Bhaskarrao Joshi v. State of Maharashtra40, Raj
Rajendra Singh Seth v. State of Jharkhand and Anr.41
,
State of Maharashtra v. Dnyaneshwar Laxman Rao
Wankhede42, C.M. Girish Babu v. C.B.I., Cochin43, K. S.
Panduranga v. State of Karnataka44 and Satvir Singh
v. State of Delhi45
. The fact remains that PW6 has
supported the recovery in entirety. He has stood firm and
remained unshaken in the cross-examination and nothing
has been elicited to dislodge his testimony. His evidence
has to be appreciated regard being had to what has been
deposed by Jagdish Verma, PW7. In examination-in-chief
he has deposed that he had met the DSP, Narinder Pal
39 AIR 2006 SC 836
40 (2000) 8 SCC 571
41 AIR 2008 SC 3217
42 (2009) 15 SCC 200
43 AIR 2009 SC 2011
44 (2012) 3 SCC 721
45 (2014) 13 SCC 143
41Kaushal who had introduced him to Sher Singh, PW6. He
has further stated that he and PW5, Baj Singh, went inside
the octroi post where Vinod Kumar demanded bribe from
Baj Singh whereupon Baj Singh gave Rs.500/- to him, and
at that juncture, he gave the signal to the vigilance party to
come inside where after and they came and apprehended
the accused. Apart from stating about the demand and
acceptance he had also stated that the hands of the
accused were dipped in that water and the colour of the
water had turned light pink. It was transferred into a
quarter bottle and was sealed and was taken into
possession vide recovery memo Ex.PG which was attested
by him and Baj Singh. The amount of Rs.500/- was
recovered from right side pant pocket of the accused. After
making the arrangement for the pant of the accused, the
right side pocket of the pant of the accused was dipped in
the mixture of water and sodium and its colour turned light
pink. It was also transferred into a quarter bottle which
was duly sealed and was taken into possession vide
recovery memo Ex.PJ. The pant was also taken into
42possession vide recovery memo Ex.PJ. The notes recovered
from the accused were compared with the numbers
mentioned in the memo and those tallied. The notes were
taken into possession vide recovery memo Ex.PF. A sum of
Rs.310/- was recovered from the further search of the
accused which was taken into possession vide recovery
memo Ex.PK. Thus, from the aforesaid testimony it is
absolutely clear that he has supported in entirety about the
demand, acceptance and recovery of money. It is
necessary, though painful, to note that PW7 was
examined-in-chief on 30.9.1999 and was cross-examined
on 25.5.2001, almost after 1 year and 8 months. The delay
in said cross-examination, as we have stated earlier had
given enough time for prevarication due to many a reason.
A fair trial is to be fair both to the defence and the
prosecution as well as to the victim. An offence registered
under the Prevention of Corruption Act is to be tried with
all seriousness. We fail to appreciate how the learned trial
Judge could exhibit such laxity in granting so much time
for cross-examination in a case of this nature. It would
43have been absolutely appropriate on the part of the learned
trial Judge to finish the cross-examination on the day the
said witness was examined. As is evident, for no reason
whatsoever it was deferred and the cross-examination took
place after 20 months. The witness had all the time in the
world to be gained over. We have already opined that he
was declared hostile and re-examined. It is settled in law
that the testimony of a hostile witness can be relied upon
by the prosecution as well as the defence. In
re-examination by the public prosecutor this witness has
accepted about the correctness of his statement in the
court on 13.9.1999. He has also accepted that he had not
made any complaint to the Presiding Officer of the Court in
writing or verbally that the Inspector was threatening him
to make a false statement in the Court. It has also been
accepted by him that he had given the statement in the
Court on account of fear of false implication by the
Inspector. He has agreed to have signed his statement
dated 13.9.99 after going through and admitting it to be
correct. It has come in the re-examination that he had not
44stated in his statement dated 13.9.99 in the Court that
recovery of tainted money was not effected in his presence
from the accused or that he had been told by the Inspector
that amount has been recovered from the accused. He had
also not stated in his said statement that the accused and
witnesses were taken to the Tehsil and it was there that he
had signed all the memos.
40. Reading the evidence in entirety, his evidence cannot
be brushed aside. The delay in cross-examination has
resulted in his pre-varication from the
examination-in-chief. But, a significant one, his
examination-in-chief and the re-examination impels us to
accept the testimony that he had gone into the octroi post
and had witnessed about the demand and acceptance of
money by the accused. In his cross-examination he has
stated that he had not gone with Baj Singh to the vigilance
department at any time and no recovery was made in his
presence. The said part of the testimony, in our considered
view, does not commend acceptance in the backdrop of
entire evidence in examination-in-chief and the
45re-examination. The evidence of PW6 and PW7 have got
corroboration from PW8. He in all material particulars has
stated about the recovery and proven the necessary
documents pertaining to the test carried with
phenolphthalein powder. The fact remains that the
appellant’s pocket contained phenolphthalein smeared
currency notes when he was searched. It is apt to take
note of the fact that the currency notes that have been
recovered from the right side of the pant pocket were
actually prepared by PW8 by smearing them with
phenolphthalein powder. The appellant was caught
red-handed with those currency notes. In is statement
recorded under Section 313 of CrPC he has taken the plea
that he is innocent and has been falsely implicated due to
animosity. No explanation has been given as regards the
recovery. Therefore, from the above facts, legitimately a
presumption can be drawn that the accused-appellant had
received or accepted the said currency notes on his own
volition. The factum of presumption and the testimony of
PW6 and 7 go a long way to show that the prosecution has
46been able to prove demand, acceptance and recovery of the
amount. Hence, we are inclined to hold that the learned
trial Judge and the High Court have appositely concluded
that the charges leveled against the accused have duly
been proven by the prosecution. It is not a case that there
is no other evidence barring the evidence of the
complainant. On the contrary there are adequate
circumstances which establish the ingredients of the
offences in respect of which he was charged.
41. Before parting with the case we are constrained to
reiterate what we have said in the beginning. We have
expressed our agony and anguish the manner in which
trials in respect of serious offences relating to corruption
are being conducted by the trial courts. Adjournments are
sought on the drop of a hat by the counsel, even though
the witness is present in court, contrary to all principles of
holding a trial. That apart, after the examination-in-chief
of a witness is over, adjournment is sought for
cross-examination and the disquieting feature is that the
trial courts grant time. The law requires special reasons to
47be recorded for grant of time but the same is not taken note
of. As has been noticed earlier, in the instant case the
cross-examination has taken place after a year and 8
months allowing ample time to pressurize the witness and
to gain over him by adopting all kinds of tactics. There is
no cavil over the proposition that there has to be a fair and
proper trial but the duty of the court while conducting the
trial to be guided by the mandate of the law, the conceptual
fairness and above all bearing in mind its sacrosanct duty
to arrive at the truth on the basis of the material brought
on record. If an accused for his benefit takes the trial on
the path of total mockery, it cannot be countenanced. The
Court has a sacred duty to see that the trial is conducted
as per law. If adjournments are granted in this manner it
would tantamount to violation of rule of law and eventually
turn such trials to a farce. It is legally impermissible and
jurisprudentially abominable. The trial courts are expected
in law to follow the command of the procedure relating to
trial and not yield to the request of the counsel to grant
adjournment for non-acceptable reasons. In fact, it is not
48all appreciable to call a witness for cross-examination after
such a long span of time. It is imperative if the
examination-in-chief is over, the cross-examination should
be completed on the same day. If the examination of a
witness continues till late hours the trial can be adjourned
to the next day for cross-examination. It is inconceivable in
law that the cross-examination should be deferred for such
a long time. It is anathema to the concept of proper and
fair trial. The duty of the court is to see that not only the
interest of the accused as per law is protected but also the
societal and collective interest is safe-guarded. It is
distressing to note that despite series of judgments of this
Court, the habit of granting adjournment, really an
ailment, continues. How long shall we say, “Awake! Arise!”.
There is a constant discomfort. Therefore, we think it
appropriate that the copies of the judgment be sent to the
learned Chief Justices of all the High Courts for circulating
the same among the learned trial Judges with a command
to follow the principles relating to trial in a requisite
manner and not to defer the cross-examination of a witness
49at their pleasure or at the leisure of the defence counsel, for
it eventually makes the trial an apology for trial and
compels the whole society to suffer chicanery. Let it be
remembered that law cannot allowed to be lonely; a
destitute.
42. In the ultimate analysis, we perceive no merit in the
appeal and consequently the same stands dismissed. As
the appellant is on bail, his bail bonds are cancelled. He be
taken into custody forthwith to suffer the sentence.
........................................J.
[DIPAK MISRA]
........................................J.
 [ROHINTON FALI
NARIMAN]
NEW DELHI
JANUARY 21, 2015.
50

BCCI not State but amenable to A. 226 jurisdiction: SC

1
 REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO.4235 OF 2014
Board of Control for Cricket in India …Appellant
Versus
Cricket Association of Bihar & Ors. …Respondents
With
CIVIL APPEAL NO.4236 OF 2014
Cricket Association of Bihar …Appellant
Versus
Board of Control for Cricket in India & Ors. ...Respondents
WITH
CIVIL APPEAL NO. OF 2015
(Arising out of SLP (C) No.34228 of 2014)
Cricket Association of Bihar …Appellant
Versus
The Board of Control for Cricket in India & Anr. ...Respondents 2
J U D G M E N T
T.S. THAKUR, J.
1. Leave granted.

2. Allegations of sporting frauds like match fixing and
betting have for the past few years cast a cloud over the
working of the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI).
Cricket being more than just a sport for millions in this part
of the world, accusations of malpractices and conflict of
interests against those who not only hold positions of
influence in the BCCI but also own franchises and teams
competing in the IPL format have left many a cricketing
enthusiasts and followers of the game worried and deeply
suspicious about what goes on in the name of the game.
There is no denying the fact that lower the threshold of
tolerance for any wrong doing higher is the expectation of
the people, from the system. And cricket being not only a
passion but a great unifying force in this country, a zero
tolerance approach towards any wrong doing alone can
satisfy the cry for cleansing. 3
3. These appeals arise out of two successive writ petitions
filed in public interest by the appellant-Cricket Association of
Bihar before the High Court of Bombay for several reliefs
including a writ in the nature of mandamus directing BCCI to
recall its order constituting a probe panel comprising two
retired Judges of Madras High Court to enquire into the
allegations of betting and spot fixing in the Indian Premier
League (IPL) made among others against one Gurunath
Meiyappan. The High Court has by its order dated 30th July,
2013 passed in PIL No.55 of 2013 granted that relief but
declined a possible reconstitution of the panel. Aggrieved,
BCCI has assailed the order passed by the High Court in Civil
Appeal No.4235 of 2014. In the connected Civil Appeal
No.4236 of 2014, Cricket Association of Bihar has prayed for
further and consequential orders which according to the
appellant could and indeed ought to have been passed by
the High Court, inter alia, for removal of respondent No.2
from the post of President of BCCI and cancellation of the
franchise favouring Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan
Royals for the IPL matches to be conducted in future. In
Civil appeal arising out of SLP (C) No.34228 of 2014 the 4
association challenges the validity of Regulation 6.2.4 of the
BCCI Regulations for Players, Team Officials, Managers,
Umpires & Administrators (for short ‘BCCI Regulations’) and
the order passed by the High Court dismissing PIL No.107 of
2013.
4. Cricket Association of Bihar is a society registered
under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 just as
respondent - BCCI is a Society registered under the
provisions of Tamil Nadu Registration of Societies Act
1975. Mr. N.Srinivisan - respondent No. 2 in Civil Appeal
No.4236 of 2014 is the President of the Board
besides being the Vice-Chairman and Managing
Director of respondent No.3-India Cements Limited, a public
Limited Company.
5. In a meeting held on 13th September, 2007, the
working committee of the respondent-Board appears to have
taken a decision to launch what came to be known as Indian
Premier League (IPL) to be run by a Committee constituted
by general body of the BCCI to be called IPL Governing 5
Council. In December 2007 the IPL Governing Council
invited tenders for grant of IPL franchises on open
competitive bidding basis, in which only corporate bodies
were allowed to participate. India Cements Ltd. was one of
those who participated in the auction for the Chennai
franchise and emerged successful in the same. The team it
assembled was christened Chennai Super Kings. Jaipur IPL
Cricket Private Limited partly owned and promoted by
respondent No.5 similarly emerged successful for the Jaipur
Franchise and assembled a team called Rajasthan Royals.
Franchise Agreements were, pursuant to the auction, signed
by BCCI with the franchisees concerned.
6. On 27th September, 2008 Mr. N.Srinivasan was elected
as the Secretary of the BCCI in a General Body Meeting. In
the same meeting Regulation 6.2.4 of the IPL Regulations
was amended to exclude from its operation events like IPL
and Champions’ League twenty-20. We shall presently turn
to Regulation 6.2.4 but before we do that we need to
complete the factual narrative. 6
7. In April 2013, Special Cell, Delhi Police, Lodhi Colony,
New Delhi, is said to have received secret information that
certain members of the underworld were involved in fixing of
matches in the recently concluded edition of the IPL. FIR
No.20 of 2013 was, on that information, registered by the
Special Cell, Delhi Police, under Sections 420 and 120 B of
the IPC and Mr. S. Sreesanth, Mr. Ajit Chandila and Mr.
Ankit Chavan of the Rajasthan Royals alongwith 7 bookies
detained for allegations of spot-fixing. Shortly thereafter Mr.
Gurunathan Meiyappan, son-in-law of Mr. N.Srinivasan was
also arrested by the Mumbai Police on 25th May, 2013 in a
spot fixing/betting case. Soon after the arrest on 26th May,
2013 came an announcement that a Commission comprising
two members of the BCCI and one independent member
would be constituted to enquire into allegations of betting
and spot fixing. This was followed by nomination of two
former Judges of the High Court of Madras and Shri Sanjay
Jagdale as members of a Probe Commission to enquire into
the allegations of betting and spot fixing. Shri Sanjay
Jagdale, however, resigned as member of the Probe
Commission leaving the two former Judges to complete the 7
probe. Mr. N.Srinivasan announced that he was stepping
aside from the post of President of the BCCI until the probe
was completed ostensibly because of the alleged
involvement of his son-in-law in the betting and spot fixing
racket.
8. It was in the above backdrop that the appellantAssociation
filed W.P. No.55 of 2013 before the High Court
of Judicature at Bombay, inter alia, for a declaration that
appointment of the two-member Probe Commission was
ultra vires of the Rules and Regulations of the BCCI and for
a mandamus directing constitution of a panel comprising
retired Judges to hold an enquiry against among others Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan for his involvement in betting and spot
fixing. The petitioner further prayed for termination of the
franchise agreement entered into between the BCCI, on the
one hand, and Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals
on the other. A mandamus directing institution of
disciplinary proceedings against Mr. N.Srinivasan was also
prayed for, besides a prayer for his suspension pending the
probe and other proceedings. The appellant-Association in 8
addition prayed for a prohibition against Mr. N.Srinivisan
restraining him from contesting the election for the post of
President of BCCI in future and representing the BCCI in the
International Cricket Council (ICC).
9. By its order dated 30th July, 2013, a Division Bench of
the High Court of Bombay declared that the Probe
Commission set up by the BCCI was not validly constituted
being in violation of the provisions of Rules 2.2 and 3 of
Section 6 of the IPL Operational Rules. The High Court,
however, declined to grant any further relief by way of
constituting a panel to conduct an enquiry under the
supervision of the High Court. The High Court was of the
view that constitution of a Probe Committee under Section 6
of the IPL Operational Rules was the prerogative of the
BCCI. Civil Appeal No.4235 of 2014 preferred by the BCCI
assails the said order of the High Court to the extent it
declares the constitution of the Probe Commission to be
illegal and ultra vires of the relevant rules and regulations.
The Cricket Association of Bihar has also, as noticed earlier,
assailed the very same order in Civil Appeal No.4236 of 9
2014 to the extent it has declined to grant further and
consequential relief to the appellant.
10. When this matter came up for hearing on 27th
September, 2013 before a Bench comprising A.K. Patnaik
and J.S. Khehar JJ., this Court permitted the Annual
General Meeting of the respondent-BCCI to be held on 29th
September, 2013 as scheduled and so also election to the
post of President, subject to the condition that in case
respondent No.2-Mr. N.Srinivisan got elected, he will not
take charge until further orders. When the matter came up
again on 8th October, 2013, this Court noted that although
Mr. N.Srinivasan had been elected as the President of the
Board yet a probe into the allegations of betting and spot
fixing was necessary. A reading of order dated 8th October,
2013 passed by this Court would show that the constitution
of the Probe Committee comprising Mr. Justice Mukul
Mudgal, retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High
Court, Mr. L. Nageshwar Rao, Additional Solicitor General
and Mr. Nilay Dutt, Senior Advocate, Gauhati High Court was 10
passed with the consent of the parties. Justice Mukul
Mudgal was appointed Chairman of the Probe Committee.
11. The Probe Committee started its proceedings in the
right earnest and invited all such persons as had any
information in their possession regarding the Terms of
Reference to furnish such information to the Committee. It
also interacted with Gurunath Meiyappan, Raj Kundara and
the players against whom the BCCI had taken action for
match fixing and spot fixing. Besides the Committee
interacted with the law enforcement agencies, former
players associated with IPL, personnel from the team
management, eminent sports journalists and sport
commentators, personnel from anti-corruption unit of the
BCCI and ICC, personnel from the BCCI and the IPL
Governing Body and persons whose name featured in the
documents pertaining to the Terms of Reference. Based on
the enquiries made by it from all concerned, the Committee
submitted a report dated 9th February, 2014, in which the
Committee arrived at the following conclusions: 11
(i) That Gurunath Meiyappan formed an integral part
of Chennai Super Kings and most persons viewed
him as the face of the team, though de-jure
ownership vested in India Cements Ltd.
(ii) That Gurunath Meiyappan was a team official
within the meaning of IPL Operational Rules if not
de facto owner of CSK.
(iii) That Gurunath Meiyappan had knowledge of or
was in a position to easily access sensitive team
information, team strategies knowledge about
match conditions etc. which knowledge was
outside the purview of an ordinary person
following the game of cricket.
(iv) That Gurunath Meiyappan was also a participant
under IPL Anti-corruption Code hence IPL Rules
and Regulations were squarely applicable to him.
(v) That Gurunath Meiyappan was in regular touch
with bookies and punters.
(vi) That several calls were traced between Gurunath
Meiyappan and Vindoo Dara Singh who was
himself a punter in close proximity with several 12
other bookies, evident from the telephonic
transcripts produced by the Bombay Police.
(vii) That Mr. Ramesh Vyas and Jupiter were acting for
Vindoo Dara Singh who was also placing bets for
certain IPL stakeholders and actors including Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan. Mr. Meiyappan was in close
contact with Mr. Vikram Agarwal who is a hotelier
and alleged punter operating from Chennai as
revealed by call record details produced by the
Chennai Police in Crime No.1 of 2013 registered
by the CBCID Branch.
(viii) That Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan would regularly
place bets in IPL matches both in favour of his
team (i.e. CSK) and against his team - a fact
established from call records produced by the
Mumbai Police.
(ix) That Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan would place bets
through Vindoo Dara Singh and such bets were
even placed during the course of IPL match as
revealed by transcripts produced by Mumbai
Police. 13
(x) That in one instance Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan
made certain predictions to Mr. Vindoo Dara Singh
regarding the runs that would be scored in a
match between CSK and Rajasthan Royals held on
12th May, 2013 at Jaipur. According to Mr.
Meiyappan’s prediction that CSK would score 130-
140 runs came true as CSK actually scored 141
runs only.
12. The Probe Committee on the above findings held Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan guilty of betting which in its opinion
was accentuated by his position in the CSK. What is
important is that the Probe Committee held that Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan had in his acts of betting the implicit
approval of the franchisee owner India Cements thereby
bringing the team to disrepute and violating Sections 2.2.1
and 2.14 of the IPL Operational Rules besides Articles 2.2.1,
2.2.1, 2.2.3 of the IPL Anti-Corruption Code and Articles
2.4.4 of the IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team
Officials. 14
13. The Committee also held that franchisee owner CSK
was responsible for its failure to ensure that Mr. Gurunath
Meiyappan complied with BCCI Anti-Corruption Code, IPL
Operational Rules and IPL Regulations. The franchisee’s
actions were on that basis held to be in violation of Section
4.4.1 of the IPL Operational Rules and Clause 11.3 of the
franchise’s agreement. The Committee summed up its
conclusion regarding the investigation against Mr. Gurunath
Meiyappan and India Cements Ltd. the owner of ICL in the
following passage:
“Thus, the Committee is of the view that for the acts
of betting by Mr. Meiyappan, which is further
accentuated by the position he held in CSK, which
was held by Mr. Meiyappan with the implicit approval
of the franchisee owner India Cements, Mr.
Meiyappan is in violation of Sections 2.2.1 and 2.14
the IPL Operational Rules for bringing the game in
disrepute, Articles 2.2.1, 2.2.2. and 2.2.3 of the IPL
Anti Corruption Code for his acts of betting and
Articles 2.4.4 of the IPL Code of Conduct for Players
and Team Officials, for bring disrepute to the game
of cricket. The said illegal acts further stand
accentuated in light of his position/role in CSK. The
Committee is also of the opinion that the franchisee
owner of CSK is responsible for failing to ensure Mr.
Meiyappan (Team Officials) had complied with the
BCCI Anti-Corruption Code, IPL Operational rules,
IPL Regulations and hence the franchisee’s actions
are in violation of Section 4.4.1 of the IPL
Operational Rules and Clause 11.3 of the franchises
agreement.”
 (emphasis supplied) 15
14. As regards the allegations of betting and spot-fixing in
IPL made against Mr. Raj Kundra, the Committee opined
that further and serious investigation was required to be
conducted into the said allegations for the allegations of
betting if proved against Mr. Kundra and his wife Ms. Shilpa
Shetty, would constitute a serious infraction of the
provisions of IPL Operational Rules, the Anti-Corruption
Code and the Code of Conduct for Players and Team
Officials. The Committee also examined the allegations of
match/spot fixing made against several players and noticed
that the BCCI had conducted an inquiry into the allegations
and found the same to be proved. The Committee was,
however, of the view that the disciplinary action taken by
BCCI against the delinquent players was adequate and
satisfactory.
15. Having said that the Committee referred to allegations
of sporting frauds made before it during its interaction with
several persons connected with the game. The Committee
placed before this Court the names of persons against whom 16
such allegations were made in a sealed envelope. The
Committee also mentioned other issues including the issue
of “conflict of interest” between Mr. N.Srinivasan as the
BCCI President on the one hand and CEO of India Cements
Ltd. on the other. The Committee concluded its report by
making certain recommendations that would, in its opinion,
help remove the malaise of spot/match fixing and detect
sporting frauds by BCCI’s Investigation Wing.
16. The report submitted by the Probe Committee was then
considered by this Court in its order dated 16th May, 2014 by
which this Court permitted the Probe Committee to enquire
into the allegations made against those named in the sealed
cover filed before the Court by the Committee including Mr.
N. Srinivasan. This Court also provided the necessary
manpower for a quick and effective investigation by
constituting an investigation team with the direction that the
team shall have the power to investigate, require attendance
of witnesses and record their depositions and the power to
search and seize apart from other powers necessary for
conducting the investigation except the power to arrest. The 17
Committee filed an interim report dated 1st September,
2014, and wound up its proceedings by its third and final
report dated 1st November, 2014 in which it took note of the
scientific evaluation of Gurunath Meiyappan’s recorded voice
which revealed that the recorded voice was indeed that of
Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan. In a separate report submitted by
Mr. Nilay Dutta, the third member of the Probe Committee,
Shri Dutta had observed that for the Committee to arrive at
a conclusive finding as regards the voice alleged to be that
of Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan, a scientific evaluation was
necessary. The Committee’s final report took note of the
scientific evaluation and recorded a unanimous conclusion
that Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan had actually indulged in
betting in IPL matches. It, however, found no material to
show that Gurunath Meiyappan was involved in match fixing.
17. As regards Mr. Raj Kundra, the Committee came to the
conclusion that Mr. Kundra had indulged in betting in
violation of BCCI Regulations and IPL Anti-Corruption Code.
The Committee further came to the conclusion that N.
Srinivasan was not involved in match fixing activity nor was 18
he involved in preventing investigation into match fixing.
The Committee held that although Mr. N. Srinivasan was
aware of the violation of the players’ code, by individual
No.3 yet no action was taken against him by Mr. Srinivasan
or any other official who was aware of the infraction.
18. Copies of the report except the portion that related to
findings qua the players were made available to counsel for
the parties to give them an opportunity to respond to the
same. Since Mr. Raj Kundra and Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan
were not parties to these proceedings, this Court issued
notice to them enclosing and made copies of the reports
available to them to enable them to respond to the findings
recorded by the Committee. That opportunity was usefully
utilized by all the parties concerned by filing their respective
responses.
19. We have heard learned counsel for the parties at
considerable length. The following questions fall for our
determination:
(1) Whether the respondent-Board of Cricket Control of
India is ‘State’ within the meaning of Article 12 and if 19
it is not, whether it is amenable to the writ
jurisdiction of the High Court under Article 226 of the
Constitution of India? (See Paras 20 to 30)
(2) Whether Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra were
‘team officials’ of their respective IPL teams -
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals? If so,
whether allegations of betting levelled against them
stand proved?(See Paras 31 to 46)
(3) If question No.2 is answered in the affirmative, what
consequential action in the nature of punishment is
permissible under the relevant Rules and
Regulations, and against whom? (See Paras 47 to
62)
(4) Whether allegations of cover up, levelled against Mr.
N. Srinivasan stand proved. If so, to what effect?
(See Paras 63 to 65)
(5) Whether Regulation 6.2.4 to the extent it permits
administrators to have commercial interest in the IPL,
Champions League and Twenty-20 events is legally
bad? (See Paras 66 to 98)
(6) Whether allegations levelled against Mr. Sundar
Raman, Chief Operating Officer IPL, stand proved? If
so, to what effect? (See Paras 99 to 105) 20
(7) What orders and directions need be passed in the
light of the discussions and answers to questions 1
to 5 above? (See Paras 106 to 109)
We propose to deal with the questions ad seriatim:
Re: Question No.1:
20. Article 12 of the Constitution of India gives an inclusive
definition to the expression ‘State’, and says that for
purposes of Part III of the Constitution the expression ‘State’
includes the Parliament of India, the Government and the
Legislature of each of the States and Local or other
authorities within the territory of India or under the control
of the Government of India. A long line of decisions of this
Court have examined and interpreted the expression
appearing in Article 12 with a view to determining whether
or not a given entity is ‘State’ within the meaning of Article
12. It is unnecessary to refer to all such decisions
pronounced over the past few decades not only because the
law is by now fairly well settled by Constitution Bench
decisions of this Court but also because the question
whether or not BCCI is ‘State’ within the meaning of Article 21
12 may not make any material difference to the case at
hand in view of the admitted position that respondent-BCCI
does discharge several important public functions which
make it amenable to the writ jurisdiction of the High Court
under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. We may all
the same refer to a few landmarks on the judicial landscape
only as a reminder to what is settled and binding upon us.
21. In Sukhdev and Ors. etc. v. Bhagatram Sardar
Singh Raghuvanshi and Anr. etc. (1975) 1 SCC 421,
one of the questions that fell for considerations was whether
an employee of statutory corporation like Oil and Natural
Gas Commission established under the Oil and Natural Gas
Commission Act 1959, Indian Finance Corporation,
established under the Indian Finance Corporation Act, 1948
and the Life Insurance Corporation under the Life Insurance
Corporation Act, 1956, was entitled to claim protection of
Articles 14 and 16 against the Corporation. A Constitution
bench of this Court answered the question in the affirmative
by a majority of 4:1. Mathew J., in his concurring judgement
referred to Marsh v. Alabama (3) 326 U.S. 501: 19 L. 22
ed. 265 to hold that even where a corporation is privately
performing a public function it is bound by the constitutional
standard applicable to all State actions. Marsh v. Alabama
(supra), it is noteworthy, arose out of a prosecution
launched against a Jehovah’s witness for her refusal to leave
the side walk where she was distributing religious
pamphlets. She was fined five dollars but aggrieved by her
prosecution she approached the Supreme Court to argue
that the corporation that owned the town had denied the
right of religious liberty available to Marsh. The U.S.
Supreme Court upheld the contention and declared that
administration of public bodies like a town through private
entities were tantamount to carrying out functions of a
public body. Private right of the corporation could, therefore,
be exercised only within constitutional limitations. Black J.
speaking for the Court observed:
“The more an owner, for his advantage, opens up his
property for use by the public in general, the more
do his rights become circumscribed by the statutory
and constitutional rights of those who use it. Thus,
the owners of privately held bridges, ferries,
turnpikes and railroads may not operate them as
freely as a farmer does his farm. Since these
facilities are built and operated primarily to benefit
the public and since their operation is essentially a
public function, it is subject to state regulation”. 23
22. Justice Frankfurter in his concurring opinion simply
added that the function discharged by the corporation as a
municipal corporation was a public function hence subject to
State Regulation.
23. Borrowing support from the above decision and several
others this Court in Sukhdev’s case (supra) held:
 “97. Another factor which might be considered is
whether the operation is an important public
function. The combination of State aid and the
furnishing of an important public service may result
in a conclusion that the operation should be
classified as a State agency. If a given function is of
such public importance and so closely related to
governmental functions as to be classified as a
governmental agency, then even the presence or
absence of State financial aid might be irrelevant in
making a finding of State action. If the function does
not fall within such a description, then mere addition
of State money would not influence the conclusion.
101. In America, corporations or associations,
private in character, but dealing with public rights,
have already been held subject to constitutional
standards. Political parties, for example, even though
they are not statutory organisations, and are in form
private clubs, are within this category. So also are
labour unions on which statutes confer the right of
collective bargaining….

102. Institutions engaged in matters of high public
interest or performing public functions are by virtue
of the nature of the function performed government
agencies35. Activities which are too fundamental to
the society are by definition too important not to be 24
considered government function. This demands the
delineation of a theory which requires Government to
provide all persons with all fundamentals of life and
the determinations of aspects which are
fundamental. The State today has an affirmative
duty of seeing that all essentials of life are made
available to all persons. The task of the State today
is to make possible the achievement of a good life
both by removing obstacles in the path of such
achievements and in assisting individual in realising
his ideal of self-perfection. ….
24. In Ramana Dayaram Shetty v. International
Airport Authority of India and Ors. (1979) 3 SCC 489
this Court held that while a corporation may be created by a
statute or incorporated under a law such as the Companies
Act, 1956, or the Societies Registration Act, 1860, the
question that often arises is as to when does the corporation
become an instrumentality or agency of the Government and
what are the tests to determine whether a corporation is or
is not such an instrumentality or agency. While holding that
there is no cut and dried formula that can provide an
answer, this Court referred to American decisions in Evans
v. Newton 382 US 296 15 L.Ed.-2nd 373, Ch 614 =
1963 1 All. E.R. 590 and New York v. United States
326 US 572 to declare that if the functions of the
corporation are of public importance and closely related to 25
governmental functions, it would be a relevant factor in
classifying the corporation as an instrumentality or agency
of the State. This Court said:
“16. There is also another factor which may be
regarded as having a bearing on this issue and it is
whether the operation of the corporation is an
important public function. It has been held in the
United States in a number of cases that the concept
of private action must yield to a concept of State
action where public functions are being performed.
Vide Arthur S. Miller: “The Constitutional Law of the
‘Security State’”. It was pointed out by Douglas, J.,
in Evans v. Newton that “when private individuals or
groups are endowed by the State with powers or
functions governmental in nature, they become
agencies or instrumentalities of the State”. Of
course, with the growth of the welfare State, it is
very difficult to define what functions are
governmental and what are not, because, as pointed
out by Villmer, L.J., in Pfizer v. Ministry of Health
there has been since mid-Victorian times, “a
revolution in political thought and a totally different
conception prevails today as to what is and what is
not within the functions of Government”. Douglas, J.,
also observed to the same effect in New York v.
United States: “A State’s project is as much a
legitimate governmental activity whether it is
traditional, or akin to private enterprise, or
conducted for profit.” Cf. Helvering v. Gerhardt14. A
State may deem it as essential to its economy that it
own and operate a railroad, a mill, or an irrigation
system as it does to own and operate bridges, street
lights, or a sewage disposal plant. What might have
been viewed in an earlier day as an improvident or
even dangerous extension of State activities may
today be deemed indispensable. It may be noted
that besides the so-called traditional functions, the
modern State operates a multitude of public
enterprises and discharges a host of other public
functions. If the functions of the corporation are of
public importance and closely related to 26
governmental functions, it would be a relevant factor
in classifying the corporation as an instrumentality or
agency of Government. This is precisely what was
pointed out by Mathew, J., in Sukhdev v. Bhagatram
where the learned Judge said that “institutions
engaged in matters of high public interest or
performing public functions are by virtue of the
nature of the functions performed government
agencies. Activities which are too fundamental to the
society are by definition too important not to be
considered government functions”.
(emphasis supplied)
25. In Ajay Hasia and ors. v. Khalid Mujib Sehravardi
and ors. (1981) 1 SCC 722, this Court noted the
constitutional philosophy of a democratic socialistic republic
requiring the government to undertake a multitude of socioeconomic
operations, and the practical advantages of
functioning through the legal device of a corporation for a
myriad of commercial and economic activities. But any such
contrivance of carrying on such activities cannot, declared
this Court, exonerate the government of its basic obligation
to respect the fundamental rights of the citizens for
otherwise it would be the easiest thing for any government
to assign to a plurality of corporations almost every State
business and thereby cheat the people of this country of the
fundamental rights guaranteed to them under the 27
Constitution. The Court went on to enunciate certain tests
applicable for determining whether an entity is an
“instrumentality or the agency of the State”, an expression
that does not figure in Article 12 of the Constitution but
which would constitute an authority under Article 12 of the
Constitution.
26. In Pradeep Kumar Biswas v. Indian Institute of
Chemical Biology and Ors. (2002) 5 SCC 111 a sevenJudge
Bench of this Court was examining whether Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research was a State within the
meaning of Articles 12 and 13(2) of the Constitution. The
Court decided by a majority of 5:2 that the tests formulated
in Ajay Hasia’s case (supra) were not a rigid set of
principles so that if a body falls within any of them it must
be considered to be a ‘State’. The question in each individual
case, declared this Court, would be whether on facts the
body is financially, functionally and administratively
dominated by or under the control of the Government. Such
control must be particular to the body in question and must
be pervasive to make any such body State within the 28
meaning of Article 12. Mere regulatory control whether
under statute or otherwise would not be sufficient.
Overruling an earlier decision of this Court in Sabhajit
Tewary v. Union of India and Ors. (1975) 1 SCC 485,
this Court held that Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research even when registered as Society was ‘State’ within
the meaning of Article 12.
27. In Board of Control for Cricket in India & Anr. v.
Netaji Cricket Club and Ors. (2005) 4 SCC 741, this
Court had an occasion to consider the role and the nature of
functions being discharged by the BCCI. This Court held
that the Boards control over the sport of cricket was deep
and pervasive and that it exercised enormous public
functions, which made it obligatory for the Board to follow
the doctrine of ‘fairness and good faith’. This Court said:
“80. The Board is a society registered under the
Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act. It enjoys a
monopoly status as regards regulation of the sport of
cricket in terms of its Memorandum of Association
and Articles of Association. It controls the sport of
cricket and lays down the law therefor. It inter alia
enjoys benefits by way of tax exemption and right to
use stadia at nominal annual rent. It earns a huge
revenue not only by selling tickets to viewers but
also selling right to exhibit films live on TV and 29
broadcasting the same. Ordinarily, its full members
are the State associations except Association of
Indian Universities, Railway Sports Control Board
and Services Sports Control Board. As a member of
ICC, it represents the country in the international
fora. It exercises enormous public functions. It has
the authority to select players, umpires and officials
to represent the country in the international fora. It
exercises total control over the players, umpires and
other officers. The Rules of the Board clearly
demonstrate that without its recognition no
competitive cricket can be hosted either within or
outside the country. Its control over the sport of
competitive cricket is deeply pervasive and complete.
81. In law, there cannot be any dispute that having
regard to the enormity of power exercised by it, the
Board is bound to follow the doctrine of “fairness”
and “good faith” in all its activities. Having regard to
the fact that it has to fulfil the hopes and aspirations
of millions, it has a duty to act reasonably. It cannot
act arbitrarily, whimsically or capriciously. As the
Board controls the profession of cricketers, its
actions are required to be judged and viewed by
higher standards.”
(emphasis is ours)
28. The question whether the respondent-BCCI is ‘State’
within the meaning of Article 12 fell directly for consideration
of this Court in Zee Telefilms Ltd. and Anr. v. Union of
India and Ors. (2005) 4 SCC 649. By a majority of 3:2
this Court ruled that respondent-BCCI was not ‘State’ within
the meaning of Article 12. This Court held that the Board
was not created by any statute, nor was a part of the share
capital held by the Government. There was practically no 30
financial assistance given to the Board by the Government,
and even when the Board did enjoy a monopoly status in the
field of cricket such status was not State conferred or State
protected. So also there is no deep and pervasive State
control. The control, if any, is only regulatory in nature as
applicable to other similar bodies. The control is not
specifically exercised under any special statute applicable to
the Board. All functions of the Board are not public
functions nor are they closely related to governmental
functions. The Board is not created by transfer of a
government-owned corporation and was an autonomous
body. Relying upon the tests laid down in Pradeep Kumar
Biswas’s case (supra), this Court held that the Board was
not financially, functionally or administratively dominated by
or under the control of the Government so as to bring it
within the expression ‘State’ appearing in Article 12 of the
Constitution. Having said that this Court examined whether
the Board was discharging public duties in the nature of
State functions. Repelling the contention that the functions
being discharged by the Board were public duties in the 31
nature of State functions which would make the Board a
State within the meaning of Article 12 this Court observed:
“29. It was then argued that the Board discharges
public duties which are in the nature of State
functions. Elaborating on this argument it was
pointed out that the Board selects a team to
represent India in international matches. The Board
makes rules that govern the activities of the cricket
players, umpires and other persons involved in the
activities of cricket. These, according to the
petitioner, are all in the nature of State functions and
an entity which discharges such functions can only
be an instrumentality of State, therefore, the Board
falls within the definition of State for the purpose of
Article 12. Assuming that the abovementioned
functions of the Board do amount to public duties or
State functions, the question for our consideration is:
would this be sufficient to hold the Board to be a
State for the purpose of Article 12? While considering
this aspect of the argument of the petitioner, it
should be borne in mind that the State/Union has
not chosen the Board to perform these duties nor
has it legally authorised the Board to carry out these
functions under any law or agreement. It has chosen
to leave the activities of cricket to be controlled by
private bodies out of such bodies’ own volition (selfarrogated).
In such circumstances when the actions
of the Board are not actions as an authorised
representative of the State, can it be said that the
Board is discharging State functions? The answer
should be no. In the absence of any authorisation, if
a private body chooses to discharge any such
function which is not prohibited by law then it would
be incorrect to hold that such action of the body
would make it an instrumentality of the State. The
Union of India has tried to make out a case that the
Board discharges these functions because of the de
facto recognition granted by it to the Board under
the guidelines framed by it, but the Board has denied
the same. In this regard we must hold that the Union
of India has failed to prove that there is any
recognition by the Union of India under the
guidelines framed by it, and that the Board is 32
discharging these functions on its own as an
autonomous body.”
29. Having said that this Court recognized the fact that the
Board was discharging some duties like the Selection of
Indian Cricket Team, controlling the activities of the players
which activities were akin to public duties or State functions
so that if there is any breach of a constitutional or statutory
obligation or the rights of other citizens, the aggrieved party
shall be entitled to seek redress under the ordinary law or by
way of a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution
which is much wider than Article 32. This Court observed:
“31. Be that as it may, it cannot be denied that the
Board does discharge some duties like the selection
of an Indian cricket team, controlling the activities of
the players and others involved in the game of
cricket. These activities can be said to be akin to
public duties or State functions and if there is any
violation of any constitutional or statutory obligation
or rights of other citizens, the aggrieved party may
not have a relief by way of a petition under Article
32. But that does not mean that the violator of such
right would go scot-free merely because it or he is
not a State. Under the Indian jurisprudence there is
always a just remedy for the violation of a right of a
citizen. Though the remedy under Article 32 is not
available, an aggrieved party can always seek a
remedy under the ordinary course of law or by way
of a writ petition under Article 226 of the
Constitution, which is much wider than Article 32.”
(emphasis supplied) 33
30. The majority view thus favours the view that BCCI is
amenable to the writ jurisdiction of the High Court under
Article 226 even when it is not ‘State’ within the meaning of
Article 12. The rationale underlying that view if we may say
with utmost respect lies in the “nature of duties and
functions” which the BCCI performs. It is common ground
that the respondent-Board has a complete sway over the
game of cricket in this country. It regulates and controls
the game to the exclusion of all others. It formulates rules,
regulations norms and standards covering all aspect of the
game. It enjoys the power of choosing the members of the
national team and the umpires. It exercises the power of
disqualifying players which may at times put an end to the
sporting career of a person. It spends crores of rupees on
building and maintaining infrastructure like stadia, running
of cricket academies and Supporting State Associations. It
frames pension schemes and incurs expenditure on coaches,
trainers etc. It sells broadcast and telecast rights and
collects admission fee to venues where the matches are
played. All these activities are undertaken with the tacit 34
concurrence of the State Government and the Government
of India who are not only fully aware but supportive of the
activities of the Board. The State has not chosen to bring
any law or taken any other step that would either deprive or
dilute the Board’s monopoly in the field of cricket. On the
contrary, the Government of India have allowed the Board
to select the national team which is then recognized by all
concerned and applauded by the entire nation including at
times by the highest of the dignitaries when they win
tournaments and bring laurels home. Those distinguishing
themselves in the international arena are conferred highest
civilian awards like the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan,
Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri apart from sporting awards
instituted by the Government. Such is the passion for this
game in this country that cricketers are seen as icons by
youngsters, middle aged and the old alike. Any organization
or entity that has such pervasive control over the game and
its affairs and such powers as can make dreams end up in
smoke or come true cannot be said to be undertaking any
private activity. The functions of the Board are clearly public
functions, which, till such time the State intervenes to 35
takeover the same, remain in the nature of public functions,
no matter discharged by a society registered under the
Registration of Societies Act. Suffice it to say that if the
Government not only allows an autonomous/private body to
discharge functions which it could in law takeover or
regulate but even lends its assistance to such a nongovernment
body to undertake such functions which by their
very nature are public functions, it cannot be said that the
functions are not public functions or that the entity
discharging the same is not answerable on the standards
generally applicable to judicial review of State action. Our
answer to question No.1, therefore, is in the negative, qua,
the first part and affirmative qua the second. BCCI may not
be State under Article 12 of the Constitution but is certainly
amenable to writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the
Constitution of India.
Re: Question No.2:
31. The Probe Committee, on an interpretation of the
provisions of the relevant rules and the material placed
before it, recorded a specific finding that Gurunath 36
Meiyappan was working/associated with the IPL as team
official of the Chennai Super Kings. The Committee further
held that for the operation of the relevant Rules and
Regulations it made no difference whether Gurunath
Meiyappan was the owner or simply a team official of CSK.
That is because so long as Gurunath Meiyappan was a team
official, which the Committee found he was, the
consequences of his acts of betting would flow even when he
was not the owner, or the perceived owner of the CSK. That
Gurunath Meiyappan was a team official of CSK owned by
India Cements Ltd. was not disputed by either India
Cements Ltd. or any other party appearing before us. Mr.
Siddharth Luthra, learned senior counsel appearing for Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan, however, declined to commit himself
to any stand on that aspect. When asked if his client was a
team official of CSK, Mr. Luthra claimed the right to remain
silent as his client was being prosecuted in a Court at
Mumbai for betting. We will concede to Mr. Gurunath
Meiyappan the right to silence in view of the pendency of the
prosecution launched against him. That does not, however,
prevent the Court from examining whether Gurunath 37
Meiyappan was a team official for purposes of disciplinary
action permissible under the relevant rules and regulations.
We may hasten to add that our examination of that issue
will be without prejudice to Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan’s right
to claim that he was not a team official if at all the said
question arises for consideration in the criminal trial pending
against him, nor shall our opinion on the subject be taken as
binding upon the criminal court where the question can be
examined independently.
32. Having said that we find that the Probe Committee has
correctly appreciated the facts as emerging from the
documents and the depositions of witnesses recorded by it
and rightly come to the conclusion that Gurunath Meiyappan
was a team official of CSK. That is so especially when India
Cements Ltd. who owns the team made a candid admission
before us that Gurunath Meiyappan was indeed a team
official within the meaning of that expression under the
rules. We, therefore, see no real, much less compelling
reason, for us to disagree or reverse the finding recorded by
the Probe Committee on that aspect. 38
33. The Probe Committee has on the basis of the material
available to it further held that Gurunath Meiyappan was
indulging in betting. That finding was not seriously assailed
before us by Mr. Luthra, learned Senior Counsel appearing
on his behalf. Mr. Luthra’s concern was that since Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan was being prosecuted, any specific
stance that he may take is likely to prejudice him at the trial
in the criminal case. We have, however, made it clear and
we do so again that any finding as to the involvement of Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan in betting activities recorded by the
Probe Committee or by this Court shall remain confined to
the present proceedings which are addressing the limited
question whether any administrative/disciplinary action
needs to be taken against those accused of such activities.
Having said so, we must make it clear that given the nature
of the proceedings entrusted to the Probe Committee and
the standard of proof applicable to the same, we see no
reason to disagree with the conclusion of the Probe
Committee that Gurunath Meiyappan was indeed indulging
in betting. The material assembled in the course of the
investigation by the Probe Committee provides a reasonably 39
safe basis for holding that the accusations made against
Gurunath Meiyappan stood established on a preponderance
of probabilities. We are at any rate not sitting in appeal
against the findings of a Domestic Tribunal set up to enquire
into the allegations of misconduct levelled against a team
official of a participating team. We are not, therefore, reappraising
the material that has been assembled by the
Probe Committee and relied upon to support its finding. The
finding is by no means without basis or perverse to call for
our interference with the same.
34. That brings us to the findings recorded against Mr. Raj
Kundra, whose part ownership and accreditation as a team
official of Rajasthan Royal was not disputed before us. In its
report dated 9th February, 2014, the Probe Committee had
referred to the statement of Mr. Umesh Goenka, recorded
under Section 164 of the Cr.P.C. by a Delhi Court in which
the said Mr. Goenka had stated that Mr. Raj Kundra used to
indulge in betting in IPL matches through him. The Probe
Committee opined that the allegations levelled against Mr.
Raj Kundra and his wife Ms. Shilpa Shetty required to be 40
investigated further. The Committee held that if the
allegations of betting were found proved against Mr. Raj
Kundra and his wife Shilpa Shetty the same would constitute
serious infraction of the IPL Operational Rules, the IPL AntiCorruption
Code and the IPL Code of Conduct for Players
and Team Official. The Committee observed:
“The Committee is thus of the view that if the
allegations of betting against Mr. Raj Kundra and Ms.
Shetty who are part of Rajasthan Royals, stand
proved the same would constitute a serious
infraction of Sections 2.2.1 and 2.14 of the IPL
Operational Rules for bringing the game in disrepute,
Articles 2.2.1, 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 of the IPL Anti
Corruption Code for acts of betting and Articles 2.4.4
of the IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team
Officials, for bring disrepute to the game of cricket.”
35. A concurring report submitted by Mr. Nilay Dutta the
third member of the Probe Committee also expressed a
similar view when it said:
“There seems to have been an effort to cover up the
involvement of Mr. Raj Kundra in betting. In terms
of the regulations in force of the BCCI, even legal
betting is not permitted on the part of an owner of a
franchisee. No benefit would accrue to Mr. Raj
Kundra by an attempt to show that bets were placed
through legal betting methods in other countries.
There are materials on record which justify an
appropriate investigation to ascertain the
culpability of Mr. Raj Kundra and his wife Ms.
Shilpa Shetty in placing bets as owner of a
franchisee in IPL. Any such culpability on the 41
part of the Kundras would fasten liability on the
franchisee, Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited
and it would be incumbent to ascertain such
liability of the franchisee for purposes of
appropriate sanctions under the Operational
Rules and/or the Franchise Agreement. The
Committee understands that the suspension imposed
on Mr. Raj Kundra by the BCCI is still in force. The
BCCI must take a zero tolerance position as regards
corruption in cricket and any possible violation of the
BCCI Anti-Corruption Code and the Operational Rules
by any person. It goes without saying that Mr. Raj
Kundra and his wife Ms. Shilpa Shetty Kundra were
owners as per the Franchise Agreement and
accredited as such under the IPL Operational Rules.
They are Team officials within the meaning of the
said Rules. Being Team officials they are subject to
the Code of conduct for Players and Team Officials
prohibiting betting in course of IPL matches and
would face appropriate sanctions under the
Operational Rules. It would be in fitness of things
that pending final determination of the culpability of
the Kundras, they be kept suspended from
participating in any activity of the BCCI including the
IPL matches in view of the materials on record.”
36. This Court taking note of the observations made by the
Probe Committee not only directed further investigation into
the allegations against Mr. Raj Kundra but also provided
necessary support to the Probe Committee to do so
effectively. The Committee has on the basis of the said
further investigation and enquiry come to the conclusion
that Mr. Raj Kundra was a ‘team official’, a ‘player support
personnel’ and ‘participant’ within the meaning of the
relevant rules and that he had indulged in betting.42
37. The Committee has, while dealing with the case of Mr.
Raj Kundra, referred to as Individual No.11 in the said report
observed:
“Individual 11: This individual was in touch with the
bookies about betting and thus by not reporting
contact with the bookie has violated BCCI/IPL AntiCorruption
Code. The Committee also found that the
investigation against this individual was abruptly and
without reason stopped by the Rajasthan Police upon
receiving the case papers from Delhi Police. The
Committee found that a friend of individual 11 was a
known punter. The said punter has given a section
164 statement to the effect that he was placing bets
on behalf of individual 11. Individual 11 had
introduced him (punter) to another bookie who dealt
with larger stakes. Section 161 statement made by
another player confirmed that individual 11
introduced him to a bookie. Materials on record
indicate that individual 11 was placing bets or was at
the minimum standing guarantee for his punter
friend. These infractions also violate BCCI/IPL AntiCorruption
Code.”

38. Appearing for Mr. Raj Kundra, Mr. Shakher Naphade,
learned senior counsel, argued that the report submitted by
the Probe Committee could at best be taken as a preliminary
report. A proper enquiry into the allegations made against
Mr. Raj Kundra shall have to be separately conducted in
terms of the relevant rules and regulations. In support of
that contention he placed reliance upon the disciplinary
procedure prescribed under Rule 6.2.2 of the IPL Operational 43
Rules which postulates establishment of a “Disciplinary
Procedure Commission” to hear and adjudicate upon any
complaint alleging any breach or misconduct under the
regulations. In terms of Rule 6.2.2 the Commission has to
comprise three members of IPL Code of Behaviour
Committee selected by BCCI. The Commission is in terms of
Rule 6.2.4 empowered to investigate any breach of the
regulations or any Player Contract by any person subject to
the Operational Rules. Rule 6.3.1 prescribes the complaint
procedure which is according to the learned counsel
mandatory especially when Rule 6.3.8 requires the hearing
to be conducted in a fair manner and in consonance with the
principles of natural justice including the right to call and to
question and examine witnesses in person or by telephone
or video conference where necessary. Reliance was placed
upon Rule 6.3.19 to argue that standard of proof in support
of the complaint shall be whether "the Commission is
comfortably satisfied” bearing in mind the seriousness of the
allegations made regarding the ‘commission of the offence’
and that the standard of proof in all cases shall be
considered on a sliding scale from, at a minimum, a mere 44
balance of probability upto proof beyond a reasonable doubt
from the least serious to the most serious offences. It was
contended that the person found guilty is then entitled to file
an appeal before the Appeal Commission established under
Section 6.5.4 consisting upto three members to hear and
decide the appeal. This procedure, it was argued by Mr.
Naphade, could not be deviated from as the rules were
binding upon the parties concerned. Reliance in support was
placed on the decisions of this Court in T.P. Daver v.
Lodge Victoria No.363 S.C. Belgaum and Ors. (AIR
1963 SC 1144), Ambalal Sarabhai and Ors. v. Phiroz
H. Anita (AIR 1939 Bombay 35) and Lennox Arthur
Patrick O’ Reilly and Ors. v. Cyril Cuthbert Gittens
(AIR 1949 PC 313).
39. On behalf of Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Ltd. it was
argued by Mr. Ashok Desai, learned senior counsel that
there was no direct allegation against the said company and
that the findings recorded by the Probe Committee that Mr.
Raj Kundra was the owner of Rajasthan Royals was not
wholly correct inasmuch as Raj Kundra and his family own 45
just about 11% equity in the holding company of respondent
No.4-Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Ltd. Having said that Mr.
Desai fairly conceded that Raj Kundra was duly accredited
and doubtless a ‘team official’ in terms of IPL Operational
Rules and also ‘Player Support Personnel’ and Participant in
terms of the IPL Anti-Corruption Code. Mr. Desai, however,
assailed the findings recorded by Justice Mudgal Committee
that Mr. Raj Kundra had indulged in betting in IPL matches
and argued that the report was vague and unsustainable
against Mr. Raj Kundra more so against Rajasthan Royals.
It was argued by him that Mr. Raj Kundra was never a part
of the management directly or indirectly and had never
participated in the management decisions including decisions
regarding the purchase of players or the strategy adopted by
the franchisee or its team. No notice was, according to Mr.
Desai, served upon respondent No.4-company although Mr.
Raj Kundra was summoned and examined by the Probe
Committee. According to the learned counsel, Justice Mudgal
Committee had only completed the first stage process of
investigation leaving the second stage ‘fact finding’ and the
third stage ‘adjudication’ issues open. It was contended that 46
even if Mr. Raj Kundra was held to be guilty of betting, the
question whether any punishment/sanctions could be
imposed upon a franchisee will have to be considered in the
totality of the circumstances having regard to the fact that
other promoters of the company that owns Rajasthan Royals
need not be punished for the misconduct of one of the
promoters holding only 11% equity. The question of
proportionality of the sanction/punishment shall also have to
be kept in mind argued Mr. Desai.
40. There is no gainsaying that the IPL Operational Rules
provide for what is described as ‘disciplinary and complaint
procedure‘ to be followed in regard to the complaints and/or
breaches of the regulations and/or charges of misconduct
levelled against anyone connected with the IPL. This
procedure includes establishment of a ‘Disciplinary
Procedure Commission’ to hear and decide such matters.
The Commission is in terms of Rule 6.2.2 to comprise three
members of the IPL Code of Behaviour Committee to be
selected by the BCCI. It is also clear from Rules 6.3.1 to
6.3.21 that the Commission is required to follow a fair and 47
reasonable procedure consistent with the principles of
natural justice. In terms of Rule 6.3.19 standard of proof
can vary between balance of probability and proof beyond a
reasonable doubt depending upon the seriousness of the
allegations being examined by the Commission. What is
important is that the Commission is not in terms of
Regulation 6.3.20 bound by strict rules of evidence and that
facts relating to any offence can be established by any
reliable means including admissions. This procedure can
and indeed ought to be followed in cases where there is no
real or compelling justification for a departure. Two distinct
aspects all the same need be kept in mind in the case at
hand. The first is that even the BCCI had not adhered to the
prescribed procedure in the present case. Instead of
constituting a ‘Disciplinary Procedure Commission’
comprising three members of IPL Code of Behaviour
Committee, the BCCI had appointed a three-member
Committee comprising two former Judges of the High Court
of Madras with Mr. Jagdale as the third member. The
departure came ostensibly because of a public hue and cry
over betting by those owning the participating teams. The 48
situation was in that view extraordinary which called for an
extraordinary approach. A Committee comprising two
former Judges of the High Court of Madras was BCCI’s
response to the extraordinary situation with Mr. Jagdale as
the third member. The Probe Committee was reduced to
two members after Mr. Jagdale decided to resign, but the
Committee was asked by the Board to continue and
complete the probe even with its reduced strength. This
was a conscious departure by the BCCI from the procedure
laid down by the IPL Operational Rules which was faulted by
the High Court of Bombay in the writ petition filed by the
appellant-association. When the matter travelled to this
Court the seriousness of the allegations and the
ramifications involved led to the setting up of a High
Powered Probe Committee in place of the Disciplinary
Procedure Commission contemplated by the IPL Operational
Rules and Regulations. The whole purpose behind setting up
of the Probe Committee was to make the entire process of
investigation and enquiry into the allegations credible. The
Probe Committee headed by a former Chief Justice of the
High Court of Punjab and Haryana was never intended to 49
conduct a preliminary investigation as was suggested by M/s
Naphade and Desai. It was on the contrary understood by
all concerned to be a substitute for the Disciplinary
Procedure Commission under the Rules empowered to
examine the allegations and record findings. It is wholly
wrong to suggest that the report of such a High Powered
Probe Committee could be trivialised by treating it as a
preliminary investigation that could lead to no more than
initiation of proceedings before the Disciplinary Procedure
Commission envisaged by Rule 6.2.2 of the Rules mentioned
above.
41. The second aspect is that the Probe Committee set up
by the BCCI had expressed its inability to do anything in the
matter on account of absence of any material to support the
allegations appearing in the press. The BCCI had, for all
intents and purposes, treated that finding to be conclusive
giving a quietus to the controversy. It was not as though
the finding of the Committee comprising two former Judges
of the Madras High Court was meant to be some kind of a
preliminary report which would require scrutiny or 50
examination by the Disciplinary Procedure Commission
before a clean chit was given to the individuals concerned.
If that be so, it is difficult to countenance the argument that
IPL Operational Rules had any further role to play in the
matter of an enquiry into the allegations levelled against the
persons concerned. It is equally difficult to appreciate how
the significance of the reports submitted by the Probe
Committee set up by this Court could be undermined simply
because the IPL Operational Rules provide for a Disciplinary
Procedure Commission with a particular composition. We
have in that view no hesitation in rejecting the contention
urged by M/s. Naphade and Desai that the procedure
prescribed by the IPL Operational Rules must be followed
despite all that has transpired till now or that the report
submitted by Justice Mudgal Committee was of no value
except that it could provided a basis for setting the
Disciplinary Procedure into motion. We need to remember
that the direction for appointment of a Probe Committee was
issued in exercise of appellate powers vested in this Court in
proceedings arising out of Article 226 of the Constitution as
also those vested in this Court under Article 142 thereof. We 51
also need to remember that the directions came in a public
interest petition with a view to finding out whether there
was any truth in the allegations that owners of IPL teams
and franchisees were in a big way indulging in sporting
frauds thereby discrediting the game and cheating the public
of their confidence in its purity. That being the object, it is
futile to set up the “disciplinary procedure” under the Rules
against the exercise of such plenary powers as are vested in
this Court under the constitutional provisions mentioned
above.
42. Having said that we must say and say it without any
hesitation that like the Disciplinary Procedure Commission
even the Probe Committee set up by this Court was bound
to observe the principles of natural justice in the matter of
conducting the probe entrusted to it. That is because of the
consequences that would flow from any finding which the
Probe Committee would record against those accused of
wrong doings. As seen earlier, Raj Kundra has been found
to be a team official of Rajasthan Royals by the Probe
Committee. Even according to the concessions made before 52
us by the learned counsel appearing for Mr. Raj Kundra
Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Ltd. he was a duly accredited team
official. Such being the position a notice was required to go
only to Mr. Raj Kundra for it was he alone who was alleged
to have indulged in betting. Mr. Desai’s contention that
since the Committee did not issue any notice to Jaipur IPL
Cricket Private Ltd. the owner of Rajasthan Royals the
finding recorded by the Probe Committee holding Mr. Raj
Kundra guilty of betting was vitiated does not appear to be
sound to us. Whether or not Mr. Raj Kundra’s misconduct
can and should result in loss of franchise granted to
Rajasthan Royals is a matter which may concern Jaipur IPL
cricket Private Ltd. but that is a different matter altogether.
The question immediately falling for our consideration is not
whether the franchise held by Mr. Desai’s client should be
cancelled. The question is whether Mr. Raj Kundra was
heard by the Justice Mudgal Committee, before holding him
guilty of betting. Our answer to that question is in the
affirmative. Admittedly, Mr. Raj Kundra was heard by the
Committee before concluding that he had indulged in
betting. Absence of any notice to anyone else was of little 53
consequence so long as the person concerned was duly
notified and afforded a fair opportunity. To that extent,
therefore, the grievance sought to be projected by the Jaipur
IPL Private Ltd. regarding absence of any notice need be
noticed only to be rejected.
43. There was no serious challenge to the findings recorded
by the Probe Committee on the merits of the findings
against Mr. Raj Kundra. Mr. Desai appearing for Jaipur IPL
Cricket Private Ltd., no doubt, contended that the finding
was based on certain assumptions, but we do not see any
merit in those contentions. Even otherwise strict rules of
evidence do not have any application to an enquiry like the
one entrusted to the Probe Committee or contemplated by
IPL Operational Rules. The essence of the rules applicable
even to the Disciplinary Commission is that it ought to adopt
a fair and reasonable procedure while enquiring into the
allegations of misconduct. Rule 6.3.19 of the Operational
Rules specifically states that the standard of proof in respect
of all complaints shall be “whether the Commission is
comfortably satisfied” with the allegations that the offence 54
has been committed. Such satisfaction could on a sliding
scale vary from a mere balance of probability upto proof
beyond a reasonable doubt. Rules of evidence are made
specifically inapplicable to the disciplinary proceedings in
terms of Rule 6.3.20 of the IPL Operational Rules. The Probe
Committee’s findings in our opinion comply with all the basic
requirements of fairness and reasonableness and, therefore,
call for no interference from us particularly when we are not
sitting in appeal over the said findings nor are we required
to substitute our own conclusion based on a reappraisal of
the material that was available before the Probe Committee
for those of the Committee.
44. In the light of what we have stated, the decision of this
Court in T.P. Daver’s case (supra) does not lend any
assistance to the respondents Raj Kundra or Jaipur IPL
Cricket Private Ltd. That was a case arising out of expulsion
of the appellant Mr. Daver as a member of Lodge Victoria
No.363 S.C. at Belgaum on allegations suggesting
commission of 12 masonic offences by him. The charges
levelled against the appellant were put to vote and the 55
members of the Masonic Lodge held each one of those
charges to have been proved. This culminated in the
passing of a resolution expelling the appellant from the
Lodge. An appeal against the said decision was dismissed
and so was a further appeal to the Grand Lodge of Scotland
who considered the sentence imposed on the appellant as
one of “suspension sine die”. It was in that background that
a suit was instituted by Mr. T.P. Daver in the Court of Civil
Judge, Senior Division for a declaration that the resolution
passed by the Victoria Lodge was illegal and void and that
he continued to be a member of the Lodge despite the said
resolution. The suit was contested by the defendants and
was eventually dismissed and so was an appeal before the
High Court of Mysore. In a further appeal this Court held
that while expelling a member, the conditions laid down in
the rules must be strictly complied with. Relying upon
Maclean v. Workers Union LR 1929 1 CHD 602, 623
and LAPO Reilly v. C.C. Gittens (AIR 1949 PC 313) this
Court held that in matters of this kind the decision of the
domestic tribunal cannot be questioned so long as the
Tribunal has not exceeded its jurisdiction or acted 56
dishonestly or in bad faith. This Court summed up the
principles applicable in the following words:
”9. The following principles may be gathered from
the above discussion. (1) A member of a masonic
lodge is bound to abide by the rules of the lodge;
and if the rules provide for expulsion, he shall be
expelled only in the manner provided by the rules.
(2) The lodge is bound to act strictly according to the
rules whether a particular rule is mandatory or
directory falls to be decided in each case, having
regard to the well settled rules of construction in that
regard. (3) The jurisdiction of a civil court is rather
limited; it cannot obviously sit as a court of appeal
from decisions of such a body; it can set aside the
order of such a body, if the said body acts without
jurisdiction or does not act in good faith or acts in
violation of the principles of natural justice as
explained in the decisions cited supra.”
45. The present appeals do not arise from a suit as was the
position in T.P. Daver’s case (supra). More importantly, the
present appeals arise out of writ proceedings instituted in
public interest, a concept unknown when T.P. Daver’s case
(supra) was decided. At any rate, the domestic Tribunal
under the rules in the instant case was substituted by a
Tribunal constituted under the orders of the Court and with
the consent of the parties, to serve a larger public good viz.
to find out the veracity of the serious allegations of sporting 57
frauds like spot fixing, match fixing and betting by those
who were not only participants in the tournaments played
but also managing the affairs of the BCCI giving rise to
serious issues of conflict of interest adversely affecting the
game so popular in this country that any fraud as suggested
was bound to shake the confidence of the public in general
and those who love it in particular. Same is the position with
the decision of the Bombay High Court in Ambalal
Sarabhai and Ors. v. Phiris H. Antia (AIR 1939 Bom.
35). That was also a case where a member of a social club
was expelled from the club and the expulsion challenged in
the Court. A Single Judge of the High Court of Bombay in
second appeal held that the club had not followed the
elementary principles of natural justice which gave enough
room to the Civil Court to interfere. The position in the case
at hand is in no way analogous to the fact situation of that
case. So long as Mudgal Committee has conducted the
proceedings in consonance with the principles of natural
justice, the Committee’s finding that Raj Kundra was a team
official of Rajasthan Royals and that he had indulged in
betting cannot be faulted. 58
46. Our answer to question No.2 is, therefore, in the
affirmative.
Re: Question No.3:
47. What possible action is permissible against Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra and their teams and
Franchisees is what logically falls for our consideration in the
face of our answer to question No.2 above. There is no
gainsaying that the question shall have to be answered by
reference to the set of rules applicable. It is common ground
that there are different sets of rules and regulations
applicable to the fact situation at hand. It is also not in
dispute that even the franchise agreement between the
BCCI and the franchisees contain provisions that provide for
action in situations like the one at hand. We shall, for the
sake of clarity, answer the question by reference to each set
of rules separately.
(i) Permissible action in terms of the IPL
Operational Rules: 59
48. In Section I of the IPL Operational Rules are defined
different expressions used in the said Rules. Sections 2 and
4 stipulate obligations of the franchisees and team/players
while Section 6 thereof prescribes regulations and
disciplinary procedure which, inter alia, includes under
Section 6.1 sanctions that can be imposed for acts of
misconduct if any committed. The relevant provisions of IPL
Operational Rules effective from 15th March, 2013 are as
under:
“SECTION 1 – DEFINITIONS
1.1 In these Operational Rules (unless the context
requires otherwise) the following expressions shall have
the following meanings:
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
Franchisee means an entity which has entered into a
Franchise Agreement with BCCI;
Franchise Agreement means an agreement between
BCCI and a third party (a Franchisee) under which such
Franchisee as agreed to filed a Team in the league and
pursuant to which such Franchisee enjoys certain rights
and has assumed certain obligations as set out therein and
as contemplated by these Operational Rules;
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
Person means any individual, company, partnership or
any other entity of any kind. 60
Person subject to these Operational Rules means any
Franchisee, any Player, any Team Official and/or any
Match Official;
Player means a person who has been registered as a
player with BCCI;
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
Regulations means, together, these Operational Rules
and the IPL Regulations;
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
SECTION 2 – FRANCHISEE AND TEAM/PLAYER
OBLIGATIONS-GENERAL
2.1 EFFECT OF OPERATIONAL RULES
Participation in or other involvement with the League is
deemed to constitute and to be an acceptance by each
person subject to these Operational Rules of an agreement
with and obligation owed to BCCI to be bound by and
subject to the Regulations, the Laws of Cricket, the terms
of each relevant Player Contract (insofar as such Player
Contract relates to any Persons subject to these
Operational Rules) and the jurisdiction of the BCCI in
connection therewith.
2.2 OBLIGAION TO COMPETE/OTHER MATCHES
2.2.1 Each Franchisee shall procure that its Team shall in
good faith compete to the best of its ability in the League
in general and in each Match in which its Team participates
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
2.14 CONDUCT
Each person subject to these Operational Rules shall not,
whether during a Match or otherwise, act or omit to act in
any way which would or might reasonably be anticipated to
have an adverse affect on the image and/or reputation of
such Person, any Team, any Player, any Team Official, the
BCCI, the League and/or the Game or which would
otherwise bring any of the foregoing into disrepute. 61
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
SECTION 4 – OTHER FRANCHISEE OBLIGAIONS
4.1 TEAM OFFICIALS
4.1.1 Each Franchisee shall ensure that each of its Team
Officials complies with the Regulations, including without
limitation, the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code for Participants
(and the attention of Franchises is drawn in particular to
Article 2 of the BCI Anti-Corruption Code for Participants
for a list of the offences under that code). For the
avoidance of doubt, all of those persons who are
accredited as representing the Franchisee, whether
accredited for the League by BCCI either centrally or
locally, shall be deemed to be a Team Official for the
purpose of the Regulations.
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
SECTION 6 - REGULATIONS AND DISCIPLINARY
PROCEDURE
6.1 APPLICABLE REGULATIONS
6.1.1 The provisions of the regulations listed in paragraph
1.2 of this Section (being the IPL Regulations) together
with these Operational Rules shall apply to the League and
bind any person subject to these Operational Rules such
that they shall be bound to comply with such of them as
apply to each such Person.
6.1.2 The IPL Regulations referred to in paragraph 1.1
above are as follows;
(i) ....... ....
....................
....................
(viii) the IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team
Officials;
....................
...................
(xiv) the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code for Participants; 62
(xv) the IPL Auction Briefing;
(xvi) BCCI’s Minimum Standards for Players and
Match Officials Areas at Matches.
(xvii) any other code as may be issued by BCCI from
time to time which shall be made available
either on the Official IPL website, the
Tournament Handbook or otherwise by BCCI
(and each Person subject to these Operational
Rules shall be obliged to ensure that it abides
by the latest version of the Regulations)
6.4 SANCTIONS
6.4.2 The Commission may, through BCCI, impose one or
more of the following sanctions or actions in relation to any
Offence;
(a) order compensation and/or an order that the
reasonable costs of the proceedings in relation to
any Complaint be borne by whichever Person has
been found to have committed the Offence or
apportioned in cases where two or more Persons
have committed an Offence;
(b) suspend a Player or other Person Subject to
these Operational Rules form playing or
otherwise being involved in Matches for a
specified period;
(c) suspend a Team or Franchisee from the
League;
(d) order the payment of money from a Person subject
to these Operational Rules either to BCCI or to
another Person including another Person subject to
these Operational Rules;
(e) order a declaration as to any finding of fact or
interpretation of the Regulations and/or any Player
Contract.
(f) order a deduction of points from a Team;
(g) order rectification of a contract or refuse the
registration of a Player by BCCI; 63
(h) order the specific performance of an act or matter,
or to do or stop doing or not to do something;
(i) Impose a financial penalty payable to BCCI or any
other Person
(j) order any other sanction action that the Commission
views as reasonable in the interest of justice.”
49. A careful reading of the Operational Rules extracted
above would show that every franchisee, player, team
official, and/or match official is subject to the said rules. In
terms of Rule 2.1 (supra) participation or other involvement
with the league is deemed to constitute an acceptance by
each person subject to these operational rules of an
agreement with an obligation owed to BCCI to be bound by
the regulations, the laws of cricket, the terms of the player
contract and the jurisdiction of the BCCI in connection
therewith. In terms of Rule 2.1.4 (supra) each person
subject to these rules is restrained from acting or omitting to
act in any way that would or might reasonably be
anticipated to have an adverse affect on the match and/or
reputation of such person, any team, any player, any team
official, the BCCI, the league and/or the game or which
would otherwise bring any of the foregoing into disrepute. 64
More importantly, each franchisee is in terms of Rule 4.1.1
under an obligation to ensure that each of its team official
complies with the regulations, and in particular Article 2 of
the BCCI and Anti-Corruption Code. The rule, however,
provides that all those persons who are accredited for the
league by BCCI either centrally or locally, shall be deemed to
be team officials for the purposes of those regulations. In
terms of Regulation 6.4 (supra) BCCI can impose any one of
the sanctions enumerated thereunder which includes
suspension of the player or other person subject to the
Operational Rules from playing or involving in matches for a
specified period and suspension of the team or franchisee
from the league. Payment of money from a person subject
to these Operational Rules either to BCCI or to any other
person subject to those rules is also provided as one of the
permissible sanctions.
50. The upshot of the above discussion is that once Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan and Mr. Raj Kundra are accepted as
team officials, their misconduct which has adversely affected
the image of the BCCI and the league as also the game and 65
brought each one of them to disrepute can result in
imposition of one or more of the sanctions stipulated under
Rule 6.4 (supra). It is noteworthy that those sanctions are
not limited to Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra alone but
may extend to suspension of the team or the franchisee
from the league also.
(ii) Permissible action under the Anti Corruption Code
for participants:
51. The BCCI claims to have adopted the Anti Corruption
Code for achieving, what it describes as certain
“fundamental sporting imperatives”. We may fruitfully
reproduce those fundamental sporting imperatives only to
highlight that the BCCI is, by the standards set by it, duty
bound to ensure that the game of cricket is played in
accordance with those sporting imperatives not only because
the game itself is described as a gentleman’s game but also
because adherence to sporting imperatives alone can
maintain the public confidence in its purity. The BCCI has, as
will appear from a plain reading of the imperatives set out in
the Rules, committed itself in no uncertain terms to
maintaining public confidence in the game. The BCCI stand 66
firmly committed to the following fundamental sporting
imperatives:
“1.1.1 All cricket matches are to be contested on a
level playing-field, with the outcome to be
determined solely by the respective merits of the
competing teams and to remain uncertain until the
cricket match is completed. This is the essential
characteristic that gives sport its unique appeal.
1.1.2 Public confidence in the authenticity and
integrity of the sporting contest is therefore vital. If
that confidence is undermined, then the very
essence of cricket will be shaken to the core. It is the
determination to protect that essence of cricket that
has led the Board of Control for Cricket in India to
adopt this Anti-Corruption Code.
1.1.3 Advancing technology and increasing
popularity have led to a substantial increase in the
amount, and the sophistication, of betting on cricket
matches. The development of new betting products,
including spread-betting and betting exchanges, as
well as internet and phone accounts that allow
people to place a bet at any time and from any
place, even after a cricket match has started, have
all increased the potential for the development of
corrupt betting practices. That, in turn, increases the
risk that attempts will be made to involve
participants in such practices. Even where that risk is
more theoretical than practical, its consequence is to
create a perception that the integrity of the sport is
under threat.
1.1.4 Furthermore, the nature of this type of
misconduct is such that it is carried out under cover
and in secret, thereby creating significant challenges
for the BCCI in the enforcement of rules of conduct.
As a consequence, the BCCI needs to be empowered
to seek information from and share information with
competent authorities and other relevant third
parties, and to require Participants to cooperate fully
with all investigations and requests for information.
1.1.5 The BCCI is committed to taking every step in
its power to prevent corrupt betting practices 67
undermining the integrity of the sport of cricket,
including any efforts to influence improperly the
outcome or any other aspect of any Match or Event.”
(emphasis supplied)
52. In Appendix 1 to the Anti-Corruption Code for
Participants are given definitions for different terms
appearing in the said Code including a definition for
expressions like, bet, Corrupt Conduct, domestic match,
event, ineligibility, inside information, match, participant,
player, player support personnel etc. The relevant part of
the Appendix dealt with the definition may also be extracted
for the sake of clarity:
“DEFINITIONS:
Anti-Corruption Code. This Anti-Corruption Code
promulgated by the BCCI on the Effective date.
Bet. Any wager, bet or other form of financial
speculation, and Betting is the carrying out of such
activity.
Corrupt Conduct. Any act or omission that would
amount to an offence under Article 2 of this AntiCorruption
Code or the equivalent provisions of anticorruption
rules of any other National Cricket
Federation or the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
Domestic Match. Any 'First-Class Match', 'List A
Limited Overs Match' or 'List A Twenty20 Match', as
those terms are defined in the ICC Classification of
Official Cricket (as amended from time to time)
including all matches organized by the BCCI. 68
Event. Any competition, tournament, tour, event or
equivalent that involves one or more Matches.
Ineligibility. Means the Participant is barred for a
specified period of time from participation in the
sport of cricket, as set out more specifically in Article
6.5.
Inside Information. Any information relating to any
Match or Event that a Participant possesses by virtue
of his/her position within the sport. Such information
includes, but is not limited to, factual information
regarding the competitors in the Match or Event, the
conditions, tactical considerations or any other
aspect of the Match or Event, but does not include
such information that is already published or a
matter of public record, readily acquired by an
interested member of the public, or disclosed
according to the rules and regulations governing the
relevant Match or Event.
Match. A cricket match of any format and duration
in length in which two cricket teams compete against
each other.
Participant. Any Player, Player Support Personnel,
Umpire, Match Referee or Umpire Support Personnel.
Player. Any cricketer who is selected (or who has
been selected in the preceding twelve (12) months)
in any playing or touring team or squad that is
chosen to represent the BCCI or any of its affiliate
and associate bodies in any International Match or
Domestic Match.
Player Support Personnel. Any coach, trainer,
manager, selector, team official, doctor,
physiotherapist or any other person employed by,
representing or otherwise affiliated to a
playing/touring team or squad that is chosen to
represent a National Cricket Federation in any
Domestic Match or International Match or series of
such Matches.
Suspension. Means the Participant is temporarily
barred from participating in the sport of cricket
pending a decision on the allegation that he/she has 69
committed an offence under this Anti-Corruption
Code, as set out more specifically in Article 4.6.”
53. In terms of Article 2 appearing in the Code of AntiCorruption,
betting, misuse of inside information are some of
the actionable wrongs under the Code. Article 2 reads:
“ARTICLE 2 – OFFENCES UNDER THIS ANTICORRUPTION
CODE
2.2.1 CORRUPTION
2.2.1 Fixing or contriving in any way or otherwise
influencing improperly, or being a part to any effort
to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence
improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any
other aspect of any Match or Event.
2.1.2 Seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to
accept any bribe or other Reward to fix or to contrive
in any bribe or other Reward to fix or to contrive in
any way or otherwise to influence improperly to
result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any
Match or Event.
2.1.4 Soliciting, including, enticing, instructing,
persuading, encouraging or facilitating (a) any
Participant to commit an offence under any of the
foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1 and/or (b) any
other person to do any act that would be an offence
if that person were a Participant
2.2.2 BETTING
2.2.1 Placing, accepting, laying or otherwise entering
into any Bet with any other party (whether
individual, company or otherwise) in relation to the
result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any
Match or Event.
2.2.2. Soliciting, including, enticing, instructing,
persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising
any other party to enter into a Bet for the direct or
indirect benefit of the Participant in relation to the
result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any
Match or Event. 70
2.2.3 MISUSE OF INSIDE INFORMATION:
2.3.1 Using, for Betting purposes, any inside
information
2.3.2 Disclosing inside information to any person
(with or without Reward) before or during any Match
or Event where the participant might reasonably be
expected to know that disclosure of such information
in such circumstances could be used in relation to
Betting.
NOTE: Any potential offence under this Article will be
considered on its own set of facts and the particular
circumstances surrounding any relevant disclosure.
For example, it may be an offence under this clause
to disclose inside information: (a) to journalists or
other members of the media; and/or (b) on social
networking websites where the Participant might
reasonably be expected to know that disclosure of
such information in such circumstances could be
used in relation to Betting. However, nothing in this
Article is intended to prohibit any such disclosure
made within a personal relationship (such as to a
member of the Participant’s family) where it is
reasonable for the Participant to expect that such
information can be disclosed in confidence and
without being subsequently used for Betting.
2.3.3. Soliciting, inducing, enticing persuading,
encouraging or facilitation (a) any Participant to
commit an offence under any of the foregoing
provisions of this Article 2.3 and/or (b) any other
person to do any act that would be an offence if that
person were a Participant.
2.4 GENERAL
2.4.1 Providing or receiving any gift, payment or
other benefit (whether of a monetary value or
otherwise) in circumstances that the Participant
might reasonably have expected could bring him/her
or the sport of cricket into disrepute.
NOTE: This Article is only intended to catch
‘disrepute’ that, when considered in all of the 71
relevant circumstances, relates (directly or
indirectly) to any of the underlying imperatives of
and conduct prohibited by this Anti-Corruption Code
(including as described in Article 1.1.)
Where any substantial gift, payment or other benefit
is received by any Participant from an unknown
person or organisation and/or for no apparent
reason, such Participant is advised to report such
receipt to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (or
his/her designee). Where such Participant does not
make such a report, then that is likely to constitute
strong evidence of the commission of this offence.
2.4.2 Failing or refusing to disclose to the ACU BCCI
(without undue delay) full details of any approaches
or invitations received by the Participant to engage
in conduct that would amount to a breach of this
Anti-Corruption Code.
2.4.3 Failing or refusing to disclose to the ACU BCCI
(without undue delay) full details of any incident,
fact or matter that comes to the attention of a
Participant that may evidence an offence under this
Anti-Corruption Code by a third party, including
(without limitation) approaches or invitations that
have been received by any other party to engage in
conduct that would amount to a breach of this AntiCorruption
Code.
Note: All Participants shall have continuing obligation
to report any new incident, fact, or matter that may
evidence an offence under this Anti-Corruption Code
to the ACU-BCCI, even if the Participants’ prior
knowledge has already been reported.
2.4.4 Failing or refusing, without compelling
justification, to cooperate with any reasonable
investigation carried out by the Designated AntiCorruption
Official (or his/her designee) in relation to
possible offences under this Anti-Corruption Code,
including failure to provide any information and/or
documentation requested by the Designated AntiCorruption
Official (or his/her designee) (whether as
part of a formal Demand pursuant to Article 4.3 or
otherwise) that may be relevant to such
investigation. 72
2.5.1 Any attempt by a Participant, or any
agreement between (a) a Participant and (b0 any
other person, to act in a manner that would
culminate in the commission of an offence under this
Anti-Corruption Code, shall be treated as if an
offence had been committed, whether or not such
attempt or agreement in fact resulted in the
commission of such offence. However, there shall be
no offence under this Anti-Corruption Code where
the Participant renounces the attempt or agreement
prior to it being discovered by a third party not
involved in the attempt or agreement.
2.5.2 A participant who authorises, causes,
knowingly assists, encourages, aids, abets, covers up
or is otherwise complicit in any acts or omissions of
the type described in Article 2.1 – 2.4 committed by
his/her coach, trainer, manager, agent, family
member, guest or other affiliate or associate shall be
treated as having committed such acts or omissions
himself and shall be liable accordingly under this
Anti-Corruption Code.”

54. Sanctions prescribed under Article 6 of the Code
include suspension ranging from six months to a lifetime
depending upon the nature and gravity of the
offence/misconduct proved against the person concerned.
Article 6 runs as under:
“6.1 Where it is determined that an offence under
this Anti-Corruption Code has been committed, the
BCCI Disciplinary Committee will be required to
impose an appropriate sanction upon the Participant
from the range of permissible sanctions described in
Article 6.2. In order to determine the appropriate
sanction that is to be imposed in each case, the BCCI
Disciplinary Committee must first determine the
relative seriousness of the offence, including
identifying all relevant factors that it deems to: 73
6.1.1 aggravate the nature of the offence under this
Anti-Corruption Code, namely:
………….
6.1.1.4 where the offence substantially damaged (or
had the potential to damage substantially) the
commercial value and/or the public interest in the
relevant Match(es) or Event(s);
6.1.1.5 where the offence affected (or had the
potential to affect) the result of the relevant
Match(es) or Event(s);
6.1.1.6 where the welfare of a Participant or any
other person has been endangered as a result of the
offence;
6.1.1.7 where the offence involved more than one
Participant or other persons; and/or
6.1.1.8 any other aggravating factor(s) that the
BCCI Disciplinary Committee considers relevant and
appropriate.
6.1.2 mitigate the nature of the offence under the
Anti-Corruption Code, namely;
6.1.2.2 the Participant's good previous disciplinary
record;
6.1.2.3 the young age and/or lack of experience of
the Participant;
6.1.2.4 where the Participant has cooperated with
the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (or his/her
designee) and any investigation or Demand carried
out by him/her;
6.1.2.5 where the offence did not substantially
damage (or have the potential to substantially
damage) the commercial value and/or the public
interest in the relevant Match(es) or Event(s);
6.1.2.6 where the offence did not affect (or have the
potential to affect) the result of the relevant
Match(es) or Event(s); 74
6.1.2.8 where the Participant has already suffered
penalties under other laws and/or regulations for the
same offence; and/or
6.1.2.9 any other mitigating factor(s) that the BCCI
Disciplinary Committee considers relevant and
appropriate.
6.2 Having considered all of the factors described in
Articles 6.1.1 and 6.1.2, the BCCI Disciplinary
Committee shall then determine, in accordance with
the following table, what the appropriate sanction(s)
should be:”
ANTI
CORRUPTION
CODE OFFENCE
RANGE OF
PERMISSIBLE
PERIOD OF
INELIGIBILITY
ADDITIONAL
DISCRETION TO
IMPOSE A FINE
Articles 2.1.1,
2.1.2, 2.1.3
and 2.1.4
(Corruption)
A minimum of five
(5) years and a
maximum of a
lifetime.
Articles 2.2.1,
2.2.2 and 2.2.3
(Betting)
A minimum of two
(2) years and a
maximum of five
(5) years.
Articles 2.3.1
and 2.3.3 (as it
relates to an
offence under
Article 2.3.1)
(Misuse of
inside
information)
A minimum of two
(2) years and a
maximum of five
(5) years.
Articles 2.3.2
and 2.3.3 (as it
relates to an
offence under
Article 2.3.2)
(Misuse of
inside
information)
A minimum of six
(6) months and a
maximum of five
(5) years.
Articles 2.4.1
and 2.4.2
(General) A
minimum of one (1)
year and a
maximum of five
(5) years).
Articles 2.4.3
and 2.4.4
(General) A
minimum of six (6)
months and a
maximum of two
(2) years.
AND (in all cases)
the Anti-Corruption
Tribunal shall have
the discretion to
impose a fine on
the Player or Player
Support Personnel
up to a maximum of
the value of any
Reward received by
the Player or Player
Support Personnel
directly or
indirectly, out of, or
in relation to, the
offence committed
under the AntiCorruption
Code. 75
55. It is manifest that Article 2.2.1 treats betting as one of
the actionable wrongs under the Code. In terms of Article
2.5.2 the participant who authorises, causes, knowingly
assists, encourages, aids, abets, covers up or is otherwise
complicit in any act or omission of the types described in
Articles 2.1. to 2.4 committed by his/her coach, trainer,
manager, agent, family member, guest or other associate
shall be treated as having committed such an act or
omission himself and shall be liable accordingly under the
Anti-Corruption Code. The expression ‘participant’ has been
defined to include any player, player support personnel,
Umpire, match Referee or Umpire Support Personnel. The
expression ‘player support personnel’ means any coach
trainer, manager, selector, team official, doctor etc. Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan having been found to be a team official
of Chennai Super Kings is a “player support personnel”
hence a participant within the meaning of the AntiCorruption
Code. What is important is that apart from
Gurunath Meiyappan in his capacity as the team official if
any participant connected with CSK, authorises, causes,
knowingly assists, encourages, aids, abets, covers up or is 76
otherwise complicit in any act or omission he/she will also be
liable to action under the Anti-Corruption Code as if he/she
had himself/herself committed the act of misconduct.
56. In terms of Article 6 of the Code, upon consideration of
relevant factors the disciplinary committee of the BCCI is
empowered to impose an appropriate sanction upon the
delinquent having regard to the provisions of Article 6.2 and
the Table appearing thereunder. There is, therefore, no
manner of doubt that even under the Anti-Corruption Code
for participants any act like betting can attract sanctions not
only for the person who indulges in such conduct but also for
all those who authorise, cause, knowingly assist, encourage,
aid, abet, cover up or are otherwise complicit in any act of
omission or commission relating to such activity.
(iii) Permissible action under the “Code of Conduct for
Players and the Team Official”:
57. Code of conduct for Players and Team Officials also
prescribes punishment/sanctions for players or team officials
found guilty of different levels of offences stipulated in the
said Code. Articles 2.1 - 2.5 stipulate different levels of 77
offences which, if committed by the players or team officials,
can lead to imposition of sanctions against them. Article
2.4.4 is, however, a catch all provision to cover all types of
conduct which are not covered by specific offences set out in
the Code. It reads:
“2.4.4. Where the facts of the alleged incident are
not adequately or clearly covered by any of the
above offences, conduct that either; (a) is contrary
to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into
disrepute.
Note: Article 2.4.4 is intended to be a ‘catch-all’
provision of cover all types of conduct of an
overwhelmingly serious nature that are not (and,
because of their nature, cannot be) adequately
covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in
the Code of Conduct.
See guidance notes to Article 2.1.8 for examples of
conduct that may (depending upon the seriousness
and context of the breach) be prohibited under
Article 2.4.4.”

58. The team official who is found guilty of betting is
certainly acting against the spirit of the game and bringing
disrepute to it. Article 7 of the Code empowers the match
Referee or the Commissioner to impose suitable sanction
upon the person concerned depending upon the level of the
offence which is committed. The punishment can range 78
between warning to suspension for a lifetime depending
upon the nature and the gravity of the offence committed.
59. We may, before parting with the discussion on this
question, refer to the Franchise Agreement executed
between BCCI on the one hand and the franchisees on the
other. Clause 11.3 of the said agreement reads:
“11.3 BCCI-IPL may terminate this Agreement with
immediate effect by written notice if:
(a) there is a Change of Control of the Franchise
(whether direct or indirect) and/or a Listing which in
each case does not occur strictly in accordance with
Clause 10;
(b) the Franchisee transfers any material part of its
business or assets to any other person other than in
accordance with Clause 10;
(c) the Franchisee, any Franchisee Group Company
and/or any Owner acts in any way which has a
material adverse effect upon the reputation or
standing of the League, BCCI-IPL, BCCI, the
Franchisee, the Team (or any other team in the
League) and/or the game of cricket.”
60. In terms of Clause 11.3 (c) (supra) if the franchisee,
any franchisee group company and/or any owner acts in a
manner that has a material adverse effect upon the
reputation or standing of the league, BCCI-IPL, BCCI, the
franchisee, the team or any other team and/or the game of
cricket, the BCCI-IPL is empowered to terminate the 79
agreement. The expression ‘owner’ has been defined in
Clause 1.1 as under:
“Owner shall mean any person who is the ultimate
Controller of the Franchisee;”
61. It is evident from the above provisions that the BCCIIPL
is in situations stipulated under Clause 11.3 competent
to direct the termination of the agreement. What would
constitute “material adverse effect” upon reputation or
standing of the league or BCCI-IPL, BCCI, the franchisee,
the team or game of cricket shall, however, depend upon
the facts and circumstances of each case. What cannot be
disputed is that the right to terminate the agreement is
available to the BCCI-IPL even in accordance with the
provisions of the franchise agreements themselves.
62. Question No.3 is answered accordingly.
Re: Question No.4:
63. The Probe Committee has recorded a specific finding
that the allegations of Match fixing, spot-fixing or betting
were not proved against Mr. Srinivasan in the course of the
enquiry. That finding was not seriously assailed before us, 80
by Mrs. Chidambaram, counsel for the appellant Association.
What was all the same strenuously argued by the learned
counsel was that the facts brought on record clearly
established that Mr. Srinivasan had attempted to cover up
the betting activities of his son-in-law who was a team
official of CSK. The attempted cover up, it was contended,
was a serious offence, which would call for action against
him and ICL who owned CSK. The argument was primarily
based on the following circumstances and inferences drawn
from facts proved or admitted:
(i) A three-Member Committee comprising two
former Judges of the High Court of Madras and Mr.
Jagdale was hastily set up to enquire into the
allegations of betting on 28th May, 2013 i.e. within
four days of the arrest of Gurunath Meiyappan.
The setting up of the Committee by Mr. Srinivasan
was aimed at giving Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan a
clean chit and along with him a clean chit to ICL
owned by Mr. Srinivasan and his family. 81
(ii) The Committee got reduced to two members only,
after resignation of Mr. Jagdale, but was asked to
continue the probe which was over within a day
resulting in an all clear report in favour of
Gurunath Meiyappan. The Committee opined that
there was no material laid before it to substantiate
the allegation that Gurunath Meiyappan was
betting. The appellant association alleges that the
BCCI then headed by Mr. Srinivasan did not do
anything to make good the charge of betting
leveled against Gurunath Meiyappan, not because
it could not do so but because it was not
interested in doing so. Any attempt to prove the
allegation would have led to Gurunath Meiyappan
being found guilty, which would in turn lead to
cancellation of the franchise held by ICL owned by
Srinivasan.
(iii) Before the Mudgal Probe Committee,
representatives of India Cements appeared to
assert that Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan had no share
holding in ICL thereby withholding information 82
that Gurunath Meiyappan’s wife and Mr.
Srinivasan’s daughter held equity in ICL which
gave Gurunath Meiyappan a substantial clout over
the affairs of ICL cricketing or otherwise.
(iv) Mr. N. Srinivasan and M.S. Dhoni, in their
depositions before the Committee took the stand
that Gurunath Meiyappan had nothing to do with
the cricketing affairs of CSK and that he was only
a cricketing enthusiast. That stand was proved to
be factually wrong by the Probe Committee who
found that Gurunath Meiyappan was a team
official who had access to sensitive match
information not available to any ordinary
cricketing enthusiast.
64. The above circumstances, it was contended by Ms.
Chidambaram, highly probablised the cover up theory,
having regard to the fact that Mr. Srinivasan had a deep
rooted interest in such a cover up no matter as the President
of BCCI he was duty bound to do everything humanly
possible to discover the truth and allow the law to take its 83
own course. Inasmuch as the conflict between his own
interest as owner of the team that could be disenfranchised
and his duty to remain above board, and objective in his
capacity as President of the BCCI prevented the truth from
coming to light by what was according to Ms. Chidambaram
a device contrived to get a clean chit, Mr. Srinivasan had
also committed an act of misconduct that could call for
suitable punishment for him.
65. It is, in our opinion, difficult to hold that the
circumstances enumerated by Mrs. Chidambaram proved by
preponderance of probability the charge of cover up leveled
against Mr. Srinivasan. The appointment of a Probe
Committee comprising former Judges of the High Court
cannot be seen as an attempt to cover up nor can Mr.
Srinivasan be accused of withholding any incriminating
material from the Probe Committee especially when there is
nothing to show that Mr. Srinivasan was indeed in
possession of any incriminating material that was withheld
by him. Mr. Srinivasan had in fact stepped aside while the
probe was on to avoid any accusation being made against 84
him. Similarly, the allegation that an effort was made to
suppress facts before the Mudgal Committee or that Mr.
Gurunath was shown only as a cricket enthusiast whereas he
was a team official, may, at best, raise a suspicion against
Mr. Srinivasan but suspicion can hardly be taken as proof to
hold him guilty of the alleged cover up. We cannot,
therefore, with any amount of certainty, say that the charge
of attempted cover up leveled against Mr. Srinivasan stands
proved. Our answer to question No.4 is, therefore, in the
negative.
Re: Question No.5:
66. Amendment to Rule 6.2.4 was assailed before the High
Court of Bombay on three principal grounds. The first was
that the amendment was mala fide inasmuch as the whole
object underlying the same was to protect the grant of
Chennai Franchise to Mr. Srinivasan’s India Cements Ltd.
which was as on the date of the grant in clear breach of Rule
6.2.4 as it existed before its amendment. As treasurer of
BCCI Mr. Srinivasan was an administrator who could neither
acquire nor hold any commercial interest in any BCCI event 85
including IPL, Champions League & Twenty-20 tournaments
as all these tournaments are fundamentally BCCI events.
Suit filed by Mr. Muthiah had no doubt brought up the
question of conflict of interest, in breach of Rule 6.2.4 but
the challenge was sought to be neutralized by amending the
rule itself and taking the three events mentioned above out
of the mischief of Rule 6.2.4
67. The second limb of the challenge to the amendment
was that the same was brought hurriedly without any
supporting recommendation from any Committee without an
agenda item for deliberations of the BCCI and without a
proper notice to the members who were supposed to discuss
the same. The amendment was pushed through under the
residuary and omnibus “any other item” appearing in the
agenda even when it was an extremely important matter of
far reaching implications which changed a fundamental
imperative applicable to all the events organized by BCCI. In
substance, the second limb of the challenge was also
suggestive of the amendment having been brought about to
serve the personal interest of those administering the affairs 86
of BCCI rather than any ethically or morally correct
proposition to ensure purity of the game or to nurture the
confidence of those who are fond of it.
68. The third ground on which the amendment came under
challenge was that the same is opposed to public policy and
good conscience. The argument, it appears, was that
inasmuch as the amendment permitted in perpetuity a
conflict between administrator’s duty and his commercial
interest, it fell foul of the concept of fairness, transparency
and probity in the discharge of public functions by the BCCI
and its administrators.
69. The High Court of Bombay has, as seen earlier, repelled
the challenge and upheld the amendment in question by its
judgment and order impugned in Civil Appeal arising out of
SLP (Civil) No.34228 of 2014. We have, while dealing with
question No.1 above, held that BCCI is amenable to writ
jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution as it
discharges “Public Functions”. The natural corollary flowing
from that finding is that all actions which BCCI takes while
discharging such public functions are open to scrutiny by the 87
Courts in exercise of their powers under Article 226 of the
Constitution. It also implies that such actions shall when
under scrutiny be judged by the standards and on principles
that govern similar actions when taken by the State or its
instrumentalities. The approach which a Court exercising
powers of judicial review of administrative action adopts will
remain the same irrespective of whether the action under
review is taken by the State or its instrumentality or by any
non statutory non government organisation like the BCCI in
the case at hand. It follows that Rule 6.2.4 will be subject
to the same tests and standards as would apply to any
similar provision emanating from a statute or the general
executive power of the State.
70. Rule 6.2.4 before amendment was in the following
words:
“No Administrators shall have, directly or indirectly,
any commercial interest in the matches or events
conducted by the Board.”
71. The impugned amendment added the following words
at the end of the above Rule: 88
“excluding events like IPL or Champions
League Twenty 20.”
72. It is common ground that the validity of the impugned
amendment to Rule 6.2.4 shall have to be tested on a
threefold basis viz. (i) whether the amendment is made by
the authority competent to do so; (ii) whether the authority
competent to bring about an amendment has followed the
procedure prescribed for the same; and (iii) whether the
amendment falls foul of any statute or principle of law,
violation whereof cannot be countenanced.
73. Seen in the light of the Articles of Association, we find
no infirmity in the amendment to Rule 6.2.4 in so far as the
legislative competence (if we may use that expression) of
the authority that brought about the amendment is
concerned. It is nobody’s case that the amendment was
beyond the competence of the authority that made it. So
also, there is in our opinion no merit in the argument that
the amendment should fall because the same did not figure
as an item in the agenda for the meeting in which the same
was passed. The Contention that the amendment came as a 89
side wind on the basis of a report of a Committee that was
supposed to examine issues touching anti racism also does
not carry any conviction. It is true that the circumstances,
in which the amendment came about, may create a
suspicion as to the bona fides of the exercise but a mere
suspicion may not be enough to strike the same down. So
long as the forum where the matter was taken-up, discussed
and a resolution passed was competent to deal with the
subject, procedural deficiencies which do not affect the
competence of the authority do not matter much. We have,
therefore, no hesitation in rejecting the contention that the
amendment is bad because the same came up all too
suddenly for discussion, without any real research or other
work to support it and without adequate notice to the
members to think about and usefully contribute to the
deliberations.
74. That leaves us with the third facet of the question
which is not free from difficulty and must therefore be dealt
with more comprehensively. The amendment has not been
questioned on the ground that the same violates the Tamil 90
Nadu Registration of Societies Act under which BCCI stands
registered as a Society. It is also not challenged on the
ground that any other Statute regulating such societies is
breached. What is contended is that inasmuch as the
amendment permits commercial interest to be held by
administrators in the events organised by BCCI it violates a
fundamental tenet of law that no one can be a judge in his
own cause, recognized universally as an essential facet of
the principles of natural justice which must permeate every
action that BCCI takes in the discharge of its public
functions. That contention is not without merit and needs to
be carefully explored from different angles. But before we do
so we may usefully refer to the decision of this Court in A.K.
Kraipak & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors. (1969) 2 SCC
262 where a Constitution bench of this Court was examining
whether Principles of Natural Justice have any application to
purely administrative actions as distinguished from those
described as quasi judicial in nature. The question there
arose in the context of a selection process in which
Naqishbund who was a member of the Selection Committee
was himself a candidate alongwith others for induction into 91
the Indian Forest Service. The challenge was founded on
the plea that there was a conflict between the duty which
Naqishbund was required to perform as a member of the
selection Committee and his interest as a candidate for
selection. In defence of his role and the selection made by
the Committee it was argued that the Selection Committee
discharged Administrative functions to which the principles
of natural justice had no application. Repelling the
contention this Court held that horizons of natural justice
were constantly expanding, and that the principles apply
only in areas not covered by any law validly made. The
Court observed:
“20. The aim of the rules of natural justice is to
secure justice or to put it negatively to prevent
miscarriage of justice. These rules can operate only
in areas not covered by any law validly made. In
other words they do not supplant the law of the land
but supplement it. The concept of natural justice has
undergone a great deal of change in recent years. In
the past it was thought that it included just two rules
namely: (1) no one shall be a judge in his own case
(Nemo debet esse judex propria causa) and (2) no
decision shall be given against a party without
affording him a reasonable hearing (audi alteram
partem). Very soon thereafter a third rule was
envisaged and that is that quasi-judicial enquiries
must be held in good faith, without bias and not
arbitrarily or unreasonably. But in the course of
years many more subsidiary rules came to be added
to the rules of natural justice. Till very recently it 92
was the opinion of the courts that unless the
authority concerned was required by the law under
which it functioned to act judicially there was no
room for the application of the rules of natural
justice. The validity of that limitation is now
questioned. If the purpose of the rules of natural
justice is to prevent miscarriage of justice one fails
to see why those rules should be made inapplicable
to administrative enquiries. Often times it is not easy
to draw the line that demarcates administrative
enquiries from quasi-judicial enquiries. Enquiries
which were considered administrative at one time
are now being considered as quasi-judicial in
character. Arriving at a just decision is the aim of
both quasi-judicial enquiries as well as administrative
enquiries. An unjust decision in an administrative
enquiry may have more far reaching effect than a
decision in a quasi-judicial enquiry. As observed by
this Court in Suresh Koshy George v. University of
Kerala10 the rules of natural justice are not
embodied rules. What particular rule of natural
justice should apply to a given case must depend to
a great extent on the facts and circumstances of that
case, the framework of the law under which the
enquiry is held and the constitution of the Tribunal or
body of persons appointed for that purpose.
Whenever a complaint is made before a court that
some principle of natural justice had been
contravened the court has to decide whether the
observance of that rule was necessary for a just
decision on the facts of that case.”
75. Dealing with the conflict of duty and interest and the
test applicable when examining whether a given process is
vitiated by bias, this Court made the following telling
observations:
“15. It is unfortunate that Naqishbund was
appointed as one of the members of the selection
board. It is true that ordinarily the Chief Conservator
of Forests in a State should be considered as the
most appropriate person to be in the selection board. 93
He must be expected to know his officers thoroughly,
their weaknesses as well as their strength. His
opinion as regards their suitability for selection to
the All-India Service is entitled to great weight. But
then under the circumstances it was improper to
have included Naqishbund as a member of the
selection board. He was one of the persons to be
considered for selection. It is against all canons of
justice to make a man judge in his own cause. It is
true that he did not participate in the deliberations of
the committee when his name was considered. But
then the very fact that he was a member of the
selection board must have had its own impact on the
decision of the selection board. Further admittedly
he participated in the deliberations of the selection
board when the claims of his rivals particularly that
of Basu was considered. He was also party to the
preparation of the list of selected candidates in order
of preference. At every stage of his participation in
the deliberations of the selection board there was a
conflict between his interest and duty. Under those
circumstances it is difficult to believe that he could
have been impartial. The real question is not
whether he was biased. It is difficult to prove the
state of mind of a person. Therefore what we have to
see is whether there is reasonable ground for
believing that he was likely to have been biased. We
agree with the learned Attorney General that a mere
suspicion of bias is not sufficient. There must be a
reasonable likelihood of bias. In deciding the
question of bias we have to take into consideration
human probabilities and ordinary course of human
conduct. It was in the interest of Naqishbund to keep
out his rivals in order to secure his position from
further challenge. Naturally he was also interested in
safeguarding his position while preparing the list of
selected candidates.”
 (emphasis supplied)
76. The significance of the principles of natural justice visa-vis
Article 14 of the Constitution is no longer res integra.
The principles have been held to be a part and parcel of the
guarantee contained in Article 14. We may in this connection 94
briefly refer to the decision of this Court in Union of India
and ors. etc. v. Tulsiram Patel etc. (1985) 3 SCC 398
where this Court declared that Principles of natural justice
have now come to be recognized as being a part of the
constitutional guarantee contained in Article 14 of the
Constitution. The Court observed:
“Violation of a rule of natural justice results in
arbitrariness which is the same as discrimination and
where discrimination is the result of State action, it
is a violation of Article 14. Therefore, a violation of a
principle of natural justice by a State action is a
violation of Article 14. Article 14, however, is not
the sole repository of the principles of natural
justice, nor those principles are the creation of
Article 14. Article 14 is not their begetter but their
constitutional guardian.”
77. The above position was reiterated in Central Inland
Water Transport Corporation Limited and Anr. v.
Brojo Nath Ganguly and Anr. etc. (1986) 3 SCC 156.
This Court observed as under:
“95. The principles of natural justice have thus come
to be recognized as being a part of the guarantee
contained in Article 14 because of the new and
dynamic interpretation given by this Court to the
concept of equality which is the subject-matter of
that article. Shortly put, the syllogism runs thus:
violation of a rule of natural justice results in
arbitrariness which is the same as discrimination;
where discrimination is the result of State action, it
is a violation of Article 14: therefore, a violation of a
principle of natural justice by a State action is a 95
violation of Article 14. Article 14, however, is not the
sole repository of the principles of natural justice.
What it does is to guarantee that any law or State
action violating them will be struck down. The
principles of natural justice, however, apply not only
to legislation and State action but also where any
tribunal, authority or body of men, not coming within
the definition of State in Article 12, is charged with
the duty of deciding a matter. In such a case, the
principles of natural justice require that it must
decide such matter fairly and impartially.”
(emphasis supplied)
78. There is no gainsaying that in the ever expanding
horizons of the principles of natural justice, it makes little or
practically no difference whether the action or the nature of
the proceedings being tested are administrative or quasijudicial.
The principles apply to either more or less
uniformly. It follows that even if the duties and functions
which BCCI discharges are administrative and not quasijudicial,
the principles will find their application with the
same rigor as may be applicable to quasi-judicial functions.
Does the amendment to Rule 6.2.4, in any way violate the
principles of natural justice or the essence thereof is the real
question.
79. On behalf of the appellant it is contended that the
amendment authorizes, contrary to what is demanded by 96
the principles of natural justice, the creation and
continuance of a conflict of interest situation. That is what is
not permissible on a true and proper application of the
principles of natural justice. The contention is that but for
the amendment, Rule 6.2.4 would debar any conflict of
interest, by forbidding administrators of BCCI from having
any commercial interest in the events organized by the
BCCI. That is according to the appellant an ideal situation
which gets distorted and corrupted by the amendment
permitting such commercial interests disregarding the fact
that creation or continuance of such interests will, bring
about a serious conflict between the duties of administrators
on the one hand and their personal/commercial interest on
the other.
80. The respondents, on the contrary, argue that conflict of
interest is a reality of life and exists in any number of
situations some of them at times unavoidable. But, what is
important is that the Rules should provide for resolving the
conflict. Relying upon, rules applicable to conflict of interests
in different sporting bodies, it was contended by Mr. Sibal 97
that unless, the conflict of interests is so palpable, that there
is no room for any resolution; the rule cannot and should
not be struck down simply because it may give rise to a
conflict of interest at any time in future.
81. There is no gainsaid that a conflict of interest situation
may arise even when the rules or the norms do not
specifically authorize acts or transactions that may lead to
such a conflict. The scheme of the rules, may itself suggest
that a conflict of interest is not welcome. And yet, such a
conflict may at times arise, in which event, the rules can
provide for a mechanism, to resolve the conflict as is the
position in some of the rules to which our attention was
drawn in regard to some other sports. The question,
however, is whether a rule can by a positive and enabling
provision permit acts and transactions which would by their
very nature bring about a conflict of interest. Our answer is
in the negative. It is one thing to say that conflict may arise
even when rules do not specifically permit such a conflict
situation and a totally different thing to permit acts which
will per se bring about such a conflict. The case at hand falls 98
in the latter category. Rule 6.2.4 after amendment, permits
creation of commercial interests in the events organized by
BCCI by its Administrators. This enabling provision
disregards the potential conflict of interest which will arise
between an administrator’s duty as a functionary of the
BCCI on the one hand and his interest as the holder of any
such commercial interest on the other. The respondents
may argue as indeed they have done, that commercial
interest held by India Cements Ltd. in the IPL and other
events do not constitute a conflict per se so as to fall foul of
the principle that such conflicts are impermissible on the
touchstone of fairness, reasonableness and probity in the
discharge of public functions by the BCCI. But that
contention is specious and deserves notice only to be
rejected. Three real life situations that have arisen in the
past, qua India Cements owned by Mr. Srinivasan’s family
and captained by him, simply demonstrate how such
conflicts have arisen between the duty which Mr. Srinivasan
owes to BCCI and through the BCCI to the cricketing world
at large and his commercial if not personal interest in the
events which BCCI organizes. The first instance arose when 99
BCCI awarded compensation of a sum of Rs.10.40 crores to
Chennai Super Kings – on account of the cancellation of the
Champions League Tournament 2008. It is not in dispute
that Mr. Srinivasan was one of those who contributed to the
taking of the decision to award that amount towards
compensation to his own team. True it is that a similar
amount was awarded to Rajasthan Royals the other finalist
also, but that does not, mean that to the extent Mr.
Srinivasan, participated and deliberated in the proceedings
leading to the award of a hefty amount of compensation, he
was not privy to a self-serving decision that benefited India
Cements Ltd. a company promoted by Mr. Srinivasan. The
fact that some others also participated in the decisionmaking
process as members of IPL Governing Council does
not cure the legal flaw arising out of the benefactor also
being the beneficiary of the decision. The situation is
analogous to Naqishbund participating in the selection
proceedings even when he was himself a candidate for
selection as in Kraipak’s case (supra). As a matter of fact,
Naqishbund had recused himself from the proceedings when
his own case was taken up for consideration. But this Court 100
remained unimpressed and took the view that any such
recusal did not make any material difference, as bias in such
like situations operates in a subtle manner. In the case at
hand Mr. Srinivasan had not even done that much no matter
it would have made little or no difference even if he had
done so. At any rate, the test is not whether bias was
actually at work when the decision was taken. It is the
reasonable likelihood of bias that determines whether the
action can be faulted. A reasonable likelihood of bias is what
can be seen even in the case at hand when the decision to
award compensation was taken by the governing council of
IPL with Mr. Srinivasan, present and participating as a
member.
82. A similar award of a sum of rupees 13.10 crores came
in the year 2009 which too fell foul of his duty on the one
hand and interest on the other. Mr. Sibal, no doubt, argued
that this amount was returned by ICL subsequently, but
such return, does not improve the matters. The decision to
award an amount higher than the one awarded earlier
appears to have led to public criticism raising the pitch 101
further for Mr. Srinivasan’s removal from the BCCI on the
principles of conflict of interest. Return of the amount
because of a public outcry may no doubt mean that Mr.
Srinivasan tried to come clean on the subject even when his
company may have suffered a loss, but it may as well mean
that the return of the amount came only under public
pressure and in recognition of the fact that the amount was
not actually due and payable and yet was paid to the
detriment of BCCI who is a trustee of general public interest
in the sport of cricket and everything that goes with it.
83. The third instance where Mr. Srinivasan’s commercial
interest came in direct conflict with his duty as President of
BCCI is when allegations of betting were leveled against his
son-in-law Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan. Even ignoring for a
moment the argument that Mr. Srinivasan had made a
deliberate attempt to cover up the betting racket that came
to light, facts now prove that Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan was
involved in betting in IPL matches even when he was a team
official of CSK. We have, while dealing with question No.3,
held that the misconduct of Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj 102
Kundra can result in award of punishment not only to
the said two persons but even to the franchisees
themselves. That being so, a clear conflict of interest
has arisen between what is Mr. Srinivasan’s duty as
President of BCCI on the one hand and his interest as
father-in-law of Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan and owner of
team CSK on the other. The argument that Mr.
Srinivasan owns only 0.14% equity in ICL is of no avail
if not totally misleading when we find from the record that
his family directly and/or indirectly holds 29.23% of the
equity in the ICL with Mr. Srinivasan his wife and daughter
as directors on the Board of that company.
84. It is in the light of the above unnecessary to delve
further to discover conflict of interest although, the appellant
has relied upon several other matters in which there is a
potential conflict between his duty as President of the BCCI
and his commercial interest. Suffice it to say that
amendment to Rule 6.2.4 is the true villain in the situation
at hand. It is the amendment which attempts to validate
what was on the date of the award of the franchise invalid 103
as Rule 6.2.4 did not as on that date permit an administrator
to have any commercial interest in any event organized by
BCCI. While it may not be feasible at this stage to interfere
with the award of the franchise to ICL especially when
hundreds of crores have been invested by the franchisee,
the amendment which perpetuates such a conflict cannot be
countenanced and shall have to be struck down.
85. The validity of the Rule 6.2.4 as amended can be
examined also from the stand point of its being opposed to
“Public Policy” But for doing so we need to first examine
what is meant by “Public Policy” as it is understood in legal
parlance. The expression has been used in Section 23 of the
Indian Contract Act, 1872 and in Section 34 of the
Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 and a host of other
statutes but has not been given any precise definition
primarily because the expression represents a dynamic
concept and is, therefore, incapable of any strait-jacket
definition, meaning or explanation. That has not, however,
deterred jurists and Courts from explaining the expression
from very early times. Mathew J. speaking for the Court in 104
Murlidhar Aggarwal and Anr. v. State of U.P. & Ors.
(1974) 2 SCC 472 referred to Winfield’s definition in Public
Policy in English Common Law 42 Harvard Law Review 76 to
declare that:
“31. Public policy does not remain static in any given
community. It may vary from generation to
generation and even in the same generation. Public
policy would be almost useless if it were to remain in
fixed moulds for all time.”
86. The Court then grappled with the problem of
ascertaining public policy if the same is variable and
depends on the welfare of the community and observed:
“32. If it is variable, if it depends on the welfare of
the community at any given time, how are the courts
to ascertain it? The Judges are more to be trusted as
interpreters of the law than as expounders of public
policy. However, there is no alternative under our
system but to vest this power with Judges. The
difficulty of discovering what public policy is at any
given moment certainly does not absolve the Judges
from the duty of doing so. In conducting an enquiry,
as already stated Judges are not hidebound by
precedent. The Judges must look beyond the narrow
field of past precedents, though this still leaves open
the question, in which direction they must cast their
gaze. The Judges are to base their decisions on the
opinions of men of the world, as distinguished from
opinions based on legal learning. In other words, the
Judges will have to look beyond the jurisprudence
and that in so doing, they must consult not their own
personal standards or predilections but those of the
dominant opinion at a given moment, or what has
been termed customary morality. The Judges must 105
consider the social consequences of the rule
propounded, especially in the light of the factual
evidence available as to its probable results. Of
course, it is not to be expected that men of the world
are to be subpoenaed as expert witnesses in the trial
of every action raising a question of public policy. It
is not open to the Judges to make a sort of
referendum or hear evidence or conduct an inquiry
as to the prevailing moral concept. Such an extended
extra-judicial enquiry is wholly outside the tradition
of courts where the tendency is to “trust the Judge
to be a typical representative of his day and
generation”. Our law relies, on the implied insight of
the Judge on such matters. It is the Judges
themselves, assisted by the bar, who here represent
the highest common factor of public sentiment and
intelligence. No doubt, there is no assurance that
Judges will interpret the mores of their day more
wisely and truly than other men. But this is beside
the point. The point is rather that this power must be
lodged somewhere and under our Constitution and
laws, it has been lodged in the Judges and if they
have to fulfil their function as Judges, it could hardly
be lodged elsewhere.”
(emphasis supplied)
87. In Central Inland Water Transport Corporation
(supra) this Court was also considering the import of the
expression ‘Public Policy’ in the context of the service
conditions of an employee empowering the employer to
terminate his service at his sweet will upon service of three
months notice or payment of salary in lieu thereof.
Explaining the dynamic nature of the concept of public policy
this Court observed: 106
“Public policy, however, is not the policy of a
particular government. It connotes some matter
which concerns the public good and the public
interest. The concept of what is for the public good
or in the public interest or what would be injurious or
harmful to the public good or the public interest has
varied from time to time. As new concepts take the
place of old, transactions which were once
considered against public policy are now being
upheld by the courts and similarly where there has
been a well-recognized head of public policy, the
courts have not shirked from extending it to new
transactions and changed circumstances and have at
times not even flinched from inventing a new head of
public policy.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It is thus clear that the principles governing public
policy must be and are capable, on proper occasion,
of expansion or modification. Practices which were
considered perfectly normal at one time have today
become obnoxious and oppressive to public
conscience. If there is no head of public policy which
covers a case, then the court must in consonance
with public conscience and in keeping with public
good and public interest declare such practice to be
opposed to public policy. Above all, in deciding any
case which may not be covered by authority our
courts have before them the beacon light of the
Preamble to the Constitution. Lacking precedent, the
court can always be guided by that light and the
principles underlying the Fundamental Rights and the
Directive Principles enshrined in our Constitution.
88. We may also refer to the decision of this Court in Oil &
Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. v. Saw Pipes Ltd.
(2003) 5 SCC 705, where this Court was considering the
meaning and import of the expression “Public Policy of India”
as a ground for setting aside an arbitral award. Speaking 107
for the Court M.B. Shah, J. held that the expression ‘Public
Policy of India’ appearing in the Act aforementioned must be
given a liberal meaning for otherwise resolution of disputes
by resort to Arbitration proceedings will get frustrated
because patently illegal awards would remain immune to
Courts interference. This Court declared that what was
against public good and public interest cannot be held to be
consistent with Public Policy. The following passage aptly
summed up the approach to be adopted in the matter:
“31. Therefore, in our view, the phrase “public policy
of India” used in Section 34 in context is required to
be given a wider meaning. It can be stated that the
concept of public policy connotes some matter which
concerns public good and the public interest. What is
for public good or in public interest or what would be
injurious or harmful to the public good or public
interest has varied from time to time. However, the
award which is, on the face of it, patently in violation
of statutory provisions cannot be said to be in public
interest. Such award/judgment/decision is likely to
adversely affect the administration of justice. Hence,
in our view in addition to narrower meaning given to
the term “public policy” in Renusagar case it is
required to be held that the award could be set aside
if it is patently illegal. The result would be — award
could be set aside if it is contrary to:
(a) fundamental policy of Indian law; or
(b) the interest of India; or
(c) justice or morality, or
(d) in addition, if it is patently illegal.
Illegality must go to the root of the matter and if the
illegality is of trivial nature it cannot be held that 108
award is against the public policy. Award could also
be set aside if it is so unfair and unreasonable that it
shocks the conscience of the court. Such award is
opposed to public policy and is required to be
adjudged void.”
89. In Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. v.
Western GECO International Ltd. (2014) 9 SCC 263,
this Court was examining the meaning of ‘Fundamental
Policy of Indian Law’ an expression used by this Court in
Saw Pipes’ case (supra). Extending the frontiers of what
will constitute ‘Public Policy of India’ this Court observed:
“35. What then would constitute the “fundamental
policy of Indian law” is the question. The decision in
ONGC does not elaborate that aspect. Even so, the
expression must, in our opinion, include all such
fundamental principles as provide a basis for
administration of justice and enforcement of law in
this country. Without meaning to exhaustively
enumerate the purport of the expression
“fundamental policy of Indian law”, we may refer to
three distinct and fundamental juristic principles that
must necessarily be understood as a part and parcel
of the fundamental policy of Indian law. The first and
foremost is the principle that in every determination
whether by a court or other authority that affects the
rights of a citizen or leads to any civil consequences,
the court or authority concerned is bound to adopt
what is in legal parlance called a “judicial approach”
in the matter. The duty to adopt a judicial approach
arises from the very nature of the power exercised
by the court or the authority does not have to be
separately or additionally enjoined upon the fora
concerned. What must be remembered is that the
importance of a judicial approach in judicial and
quasi-judicial determination lies in the fact that so
long as the court, tribunal or the authority exercising 109
powers that affect the rights or obligations of the
parties before them shows fidelity to judicial
approach, they cannot act in an arbitrary, capricious
or whimsical manner. Judicial approach ensures that
the authority acts bona fide and deals with the
subject in a fair, reasonable and objective manner
and that its decision is not actuated by any
extraneous consideration. Judicial approach in that
sense acts as a check against flaws and faults that
can render the decision of a court, tribunal or
authority vulnerable to challenge.
38. Equally important and indeed fundamental to the
policy of Indian law is the principle that a court and
so also a quasi-judicial authority must, while
determining the rights and obligations of parties
before it, do so in accordance with the principles of
natural justice. Besides the celebrated audi alteram
partem rule one of the facets of the principles of
natural justice is that the court/authority deciding
the matter must apply its mind to the attendant facts
and circumstances while taking a view one way or
the other. Non-application of mind is a defect that is
fatal to any adjudication. Application of mind is best
demonstrated by disclosure of the mind and
disclosure of mind is best done by recording reasons
in support of the decision which the court or
authority is taking. The requirement that an
adjudicatory authority must apply its mind is, in that
view, so deeply embedded in our jurisprudence that
it can be described as a fundamental policy of Indian
law.
39. No less important is the principle now recognised
as a salutary juristic fundamental in administrative
law that a decision which is perverse or so irrational
that no reasonable person would have arrived at the
same will not be sustained in a court of law.
Perversity or irrationality of decisions is tested on the
touchstone of Wednesbury principle of
reasonableness. Decisions that fall short of the
standards of reasonableness are open to challenge in
a court of law often in writ jurisdiction of the superior
courts but no less in statutory processes wherever
the same are available.” 110
90. To sum up: Public Policy is not a static concept. It
varies with times and from generation to generation. But
what is in public good and public interest cannot be opposed
to public policy and vice-versa. Fundamental Policy of Law
would also constitute a facet of public policy. This would
imply that all those principles of law that ensure justice, fair
play and bring transparency and objectivity and promote
probity in the discharge of public functions would also
constitute public policy. Conversely any deviation,
abrogation, frustration or negation of the salutary principles
of justice, fairness, good conscience, equity and objectivity
will be opposed to public policy. It follows that any rule,
contract or arrangement that actually defeats or tends to
defeat the high ideals of fairness and objectivity in the
discharge of public functions no matter by a private nongovernmental
body will be opposed to public policy. Applied
to the case at hand Rule 6.2.4 to the extent, it permits,
protects and even perpetuates situations where the
Administrators can have commercial interests in breach or
conflict with the duty they owe to the BCCI or to the people 111
at large must be held to be against public policy, hence,
illegal. That is particularly so when BCCI has in the Anti
Corruption Code adopted by it recognized public confidence
in the authenticity and integrity of the sporting contest as a
fundamental imperative. It has accepted and, in our opinion
rightly so, that all cricket matches must be contested on a
level playing field with the outcome to be determined solely
by the respective merits of the competing teams. The Anti
Corruption Code of the BCCI does not mince words in
accepting the stark reality that if the confidence of the public
in the purity of the game is undermined then the very
essence of the game of cricket shall be shaken. The BCCI
has in no uncertain terms declared its resolve to protect the
fundamental imperatives constituting the essence of the
game of cricket and its determination to take every step in
its power to prevent corrupt betting practices undermining
the integrity of the sport including any effort to influence the
outcome of any match. Unfortunately, however, the
amendment to Rule 6.2.4 clearly negates the declarations
and resolves of the BCCI by permitting situations in which
conflict of interest would grossly erode the confidence of the 112
people in the authenticity, purity and integrity of the game.
An amendment which strikes at the very essence of the
game as stated in the Anti Corruption Code cannot obviously
co-exist with the fundamental imperatives. Conflict of
interest situation is a complete anti-thesis to everything
recognized by BCCI as constituting fundamental imperatives
of the game hence unsustainable and impermissible in law.
91. Before we wind up the discussion on the validity of Rule
6.2.4 and the vice of conflict of interest it permits after the
impugned amendment, we may in brief deal with the
submissions which Mr. Kapil Sibal, learned senior counsel for
the respondent Mr. Srinivasan urged before us. It was
contended by Mr. Sibal that IPL was conceived as a
commercial enterprise, structured in a manner that it
eliminated all possibility of conflict of interest. That is
because all decisions, financial or otherwise relating to the
IPL, are already known to all the participants leaving no
discretion with any official of the BCCI. The commercial
interest of an administrator in the IPL can never be in
conflict with the administrator’s duty in the BCCI argued Mr. 113
Sibal. That apart, every franchise is treated equally since
the contractual obligation with the BCCI is identical for each
franchise leaving no possibility of differential treatment by
BCCI. It was also argued that IPL is Distinct from other
matches/events conducted by the BCCI so that there is no
question of any conflict of interest between the role of a
person as an administrator of BCCI and an owner of an IPL
franchise. The following distinguishing features were in this
regard relied upon:
(i) IPL is not a tournament to test the
players’ ability to play representative
cricket since the record of each player in
the IPL is not considered for National
Selections. IPL is only a platform
provided to cricketers – both Indian and
International, to make a living from the
sport outside of playing representative
cricket, which is not as remunerative.
(ii) The IPL teams revolve around a
business structure and each team is
formed pursuant to winning a franchise
for a particular stadium in a commercial
tender floated by BCCI, whereas in
representative cricket it is the BCCI, a
non-for-profit society which manages
the teams selected by it.
(iii) The franchise in the IPL has a
contractual arrangement by which the
franchise fee is paid to the BCCI and in 114
return the franchisee gets a share of the
broadcast and sponsorship revenue. In
representative cricket, the income from
sponsors and broadcast fee goes
exclusively to the BCCI.
(iv) IPL was started as a commercial venture
by BCCI to bring more money into the
game from the private sector for being
ploughed back into the sport in the form
of infrastructure, development of the
game, players’ benefit and ground
facilities in all parts of the country.
Income from broadcast rights of the
National Team is incidental to the
membership of the BCCI to ICC that
permits the BCCI to field the India Team
against other teams of other Member
Nations.
(v) In IPL, the Selection Committees of
BCCI for various age groups have no
role to play. Players from all over the
world through their respective National
Boards enroll for the auction. Players
cannot pick or choose a franchisee to
play once enlisted for the auction. The
player intake by a franchisee is
dependent on Open Market principles.
In the IPL, the players are allowed to be
traded between franchisees within the
rules of permitted salary caps as
detailed in the Players Regulations.
(vi) Entertainment of the public hitherto not
interested in the sport, i.e. bringing in
newer fans to the game has been a goal
of the IPL whereas representative
cricket is the more serious version and a
pathway to the National Selection.” 115
92. There is no gainsaying that Mr. Sibal was right in
contending that in certain areas the BCCI or anyone of its
administrators/office bearers does not have any discretion
except to go by what is prescribed as a uniform pattern for
all the franchisees. But, to say that there is no possibility of
any conflict of interest arising in IPL format between an
administrator’s duty and the commercial interest if any held
by him is not in our opinion correct. The three live
situations to which we have adverted in the earlier part of
this order in which a conflict has arisen in the case at hand
only prove that conflict of interest is not only possible but
ominously looming large if an administrator also owns a
competing team. So also the contention that, IPL being a
commercial venture of BCCI and a platform for Indian and
International cricketers to make a living from the sport, is
neither here nor there. No one has found fault with IPL as a
format, nor is there any challenge to the wisdom of BCCI in
introducing this format for the benefit of cricketers or for its
own benefit. The question is whether the BCCI can afford to
see the game lose its credibility in the eyes of those who
watch it, by allowing an impression to gather ground that 116
what goes on in the name of the game is no more than a
farce because of sporting frauds like betting, match fixing
and the like. Can the BCCI live with the idea of the game
being seen only as a means to cheat the unsuspecting and
gullible spectators watching the proceedings whether in the
stadium or on the television with the passion one rarely sees
in any other sporting enterprise. BCCI’s commercial plans for
its own benefit and the benefit of the players are bound to
blow up in smoke, if the people who watch and support the
game were to lose interest or be indifferent because, they
get to know that some business interests have hijacked the
game for their own ends or that the game is no longer the
game they know or love because of frauds on and off the
field. There is no manner of doubt whatsoever that the game
enjoys its popularity and raises passions only because of
what it stands for and because the people who watch the
sport believe that it is being played in the true spirit of the
game without letting any corrupting influence come
anywhere near the principles and fundamental imperatives
considered sacrosanct and inviolable. All told whatever be
the format of the game and whatever be the commercial 117
angles to it, the game is what it is, only if it is played in its
pristine form free from any sporting fraud. And it is because
of that fundamental imperative that these proceedings
assume such importance. The fundamental imperatives, to
which BCCI is avowedly committed in the Anti Corruption
Code, cannot be diluted leave alone neglected or negated.
93. In K. Murugon v. Fencing Association of India,
Jabalpur and ors. (1991) 2 SCC 412 this Court held that
sports in India have assumed a great importance for the
community while international sports has assumed greater
importance over the past few decades. Despite this,
however, several sports bodies in this country have got
involved in group fights leading to litigation in the process
losing sight of the objectives which such societies and
bodies are meant to serve and achieve. This Court therefore
emphasized the need for setting right the working of the
societies rather than adjudicating upon the individual’s right
to office by reference to the provisions of law relating to
meetings, injunctions, etc. The following passage from the 118
Murugon’s decision (supra) is a timely reminder of the
need of the hour:
“12. This does not appear to us to be a matter
where individual rights in terms of the rules and
regulations of the Society should engage our
attention. Sports in modern times has been
considered to be a matter of great importance to the
community. International sports has assumed
greater importance and has been in the focus for
over a few decades. In some of the recent Olympic
games the performance of small States has indeed
been excellent and laudable while the performance of
a great country like India with world’s second highest
population has been miserable. It is unfortunate that
the highest body in charge of monitoring all aspects
of such sports has got involved in group fight leading
to litigation and the objectives of the Society have
been lost sight of. The representation of India in the
IOA has been in jeopardy. The grooming of amateurs
has been thrown to the winds and the responsibility
placed on the Society has not been responded. This,
therefore, does not appear to us to be a situation
where rights to office will have to be worked out by
referring to the provisions of the law relating to
meetings, injunction and rights appurtenant to
elective offices. What seems to be of paramount
importance is that healthy conditions must be
restored as early as possible into the working of the
Society and a fresh election has to be held as that
seems to be the only way to get out of the malady.”
 (emphasis supplied)
94. We may also refer to the decision of this Court in N.
Kannadasan v. Ajoy Khose and Ors. (2009) 7 SCC 1,
where this Court was examining the question relating to
qualities required for appointment of a candidate as 119
President of the State Consumer Commission. The
petitioner was in that case found unfit to be appointed as a
permanent Judge of the High Court. The question was
whether his being unsuitable for appointment as a
permanent Judge could be a reason for denying to him an
appointment as President of the State Consumer Disputes
Redressal Commission. Dealing with the question of a
possible conflict between public interest on the one hand
and private interest on the other this Court in para 93 of the
decision observed:
“93. The superior courts must take into
consideration as to what is good for the judiciary as
an institution and not for the Judge himself. An act of
balancing between public interest and private
interest must be made. Thus, institution as also
public interest must be uppermost in the mind of the
court. When such factors are to be taken into
consideration, the court may not insist upon a proof.
It would not delve deep into the allegations. The
court must bear in mind the limitations in arriving at
a finding in regard to lack of integrity against the
person concerned.”
95. The decision in Kannadasan case (supra) was relied
upon by a three-Judge Bench of this Court in Centre for
PIL and Anr. v. Union of India and Anr. (2011) 4
SCC 1 where this Court dealt with the importance of 120
institutional integrity and declared that an institution is more
important than an individual. The following passage from
the decision is apposite:
“45. ….. Thus, we are concerned with the institution
and its integrity including institutional competence
and functioning and not the desirability of the
candidate alone who is going to be the Central
Vigilance Commissioner, though personal integrity is
an important quality. It is the independence and
impartiality of the institution like the CVC which has
to be maintained and preserved in the larger interest
of the rule of law (see Vineet Narai (1988) 1 SCC
226).”
96. BCCI is a very important institution that
discharges important public functions. Demands of
institutional integrity are, therefore, heavy and need to
be met suitably in larger public interest. Individuals are
birds of passage while institutions are forever. The
expectations of the millions of cricket lovers in particular and
public at large in general, have lowered considerably the
threshold of tolerance for any mischief, wrong doing or
corrupt practices which ought to be weeded out of the
system. Conflict of interest is one area which appears to
have led to the current confusion and serious misgivings in 121
the public mind as to the manner in which BCCI is managing
its affairs.
97. It was lastly argued by Mr. Sundaram, learned senior
counsel for BCCI that if administrators were held to be
disentitled to have any commercial interest in BCCI events
including IPL, the same may adversely affect not only the
IPL format but certain outstanding sports persons who by
reason of their proficiency in cricket and its affairs are often
engaged as coaches, mentors, commentators or on similar
other positions may also be rendered disqualified to get such
engagements. This would mean that the teams will lose the
advantage of having these outstanding sports persons on
their side while the sport persons will lose the opportunity to
earn a livelihood only because they hold or have at an
earlier point of time held an administrative office in BCCI.
Such an interpretation or disqualification would not be in the
interest of the game or those who have distinguished
themselves in the same, argued Mr. Sundaram.
98. The expression ‘Administrator’ appearing in
Rule 6.2.4 has been defined to mean and include present 122
and past Presidents, Honorary Secretaries, Honorary
Treasures, Honorary Joint Secretaries of the BCCI.
Presidents and Secretaries present or past of members
affiliated to BCCI are also treated as administrator along
with representative of a member or an associate member or
affiliate member of the Board. That apart, any person
connected with any of the committees appointed by the
Board are also treated as administrator; none of whom could
have any commercial interest in any BCCI event but for the
impugned amendment to Rule 6.2.4. What is important,
however, is that the challenge in the present proceedings
arises in the context of Mr. Srinivasan, President of BCCI
having commercial interest in the IPL by reason of the
company promoted by him owning Chennai Super Kings. It
is common ground that the owner of a team buys the
franchise in an open auction. India Cements Ltd. owner of
CSK has also bought the Chennai franchise in an open
auction held by BCCI. This sale and purchase of the
franchises is a purely commercial/business venture for India
Cements Ltd. involving investment of hundreds of crores.
The franchise can grow as a ‘brand’ and in terms of franchise 123
agreement executed between franchisee and the BCCI be
sold for a price subject to the conditions stipulated in the
agreement. There is, therefore, no manner of doubt that the
investment made by India Cements Ltd. is a business
investment no matter in a sporting activity. To the extent
the business investment has come from India Cements Ltd.
promoted by Mr. Srinivisan and his family, India Cements
and everyone connected with it as shareholders acquire a
business/commercial interest in the IPL events organised by
BCCI. The association of India Cements Ltd. and Mr.
Srinivasan with IPL is being faulted on account of this
commercial interest which India Cements Ltd. has acquired
for itself. Whether or not players engaged as mentors,
coaches, managers or commentators in connection with the
events for remuneration payable to them will also be
ineligible for any such assignment does not directly fall for
our consideration in these proceedings. That apart, it may
well be argued that there is a difference between
commercial interest referred to in Rule 6.2.4 and
‘professional engagement’ of a player on account of his
proficiency in the game. It may be logically contended that 124
the engagement of a player even though made on a
remuneration remains a professional engagement because
of his professional skill in the game of cricket and not
because he has made any investment like India Cements
Ltd. has done in acquiring a franchise or in any other form.
Be that as it may, we do not consider it necessary or even
proper to authoritatively pronounce upon the question
whether such engagement of players, as are mentioned
above, would fall foul of the prohibition contained in Rule
6.2.4 as it stood before amendment. The issue may be
examined as and when the same arises directly for
consideration. All that we need say at this stage is that
whether or not a player who is an ‘administrator’ by reason
of an existing or earlier assignment held by him can acquire
or hold a commercial interest in any BCCI event, will depend
upon the nature of the interest that such person has
acquired and whether the same is purely professional or has
any commercial element to it. Beyond that we do not
propose to say anything at this stage. Question No. 5 is
accordingly answered in the affirmative and Amendment to
Rule 6.2.4 permitting Administrators of BCCI to acquire or 125
hold commercial interests in BCCI like IPL, champions
league and T-20 held to be bad for the reasons we have set
out in the foregoing paras.
Re: Question No.6:
99. Mr. Sundar Raman in his capacity as the Chief
Operating Officer was charged with the duty of overseeing
the tournament and all other live events including the
opening ceremony and also the general operations,
sponsorships activities, television production, estimations of
costs, negotiation of contracts, administration duties, travel
and transport and other related functions. According to the
allegation levelled against him, he was in constant touch
with Mr. Vindoo Dara Singh evidenced by nearly 350 calls
made thereto between them during the IPL.
100. The investigating team headed by Mr. B.B. Mishra
summed up its conclusion about Mr. Sundar Raman’s
involvement in its report dated 28th August 2014 in which it
stated:
“The allegation emanated from a statement of
Bindra. The verification so far indicates that Vindoo 126
Dara Singh and Sundar Raman knew each other, but
in the years 2012 and 2013, they have hardly made
calls to each other. The CDR of Vindoo Dara Singh
for the period 01.01.2013 to 20.5.2013 which is
available doesn’t indicate any call made/received by
him to/from Sunder Raman. Virk will have to be
requested to join investigation and part with the
information available with him.”
101. In its final report dated on 1.11.2014 the Probe
Committee recorded a finding that Mr. Sundar Raman,
described as Individual 12 in that report, had known a
bookie and had contacted him at eight different times in the
IPL. The Committee said:
“This individual knew a contact of a bookie and had
contacted him eight times in one season. This
individual admitted knowing the contact of the
bookies but however claimed to be unaware of his
connection with betting activities. This individual also
accepted that he had received information about
individual 1 and individual 11 taking part in betting
activities but was informed by ICC-ACSU chief that
this was not actionable information. This individual
also accepted that this information was not conveyed
to any other individual.”
102. In the objection filed before this Court, Mr. Sundar
Raman has, inter alia, argued that the Probe Committee has
not recorded any specific finding that he had knowledge of
Mr. Vindoo Dara Singh being a bookie. It is also asserted by
Mr. Sundar Raman that he knew of Mr. Vindoo Dara Singh 127
only as a celebrity who used to frequently attend IPL
matches and events with other celebrities. Mr. Sundar
Raman has specifically denied having any knowledge about
the activities of Vindoo Dara Singh and his contacts. Based
on certain call records produced by Mr. Sundar Raman, it is
claimed that there were only 5 calls between the two of
them during a period of ten months and that making or
receiving such calls was a part of his job as the Chief
Operating Officer of IPL.
103. The other allegation against Mr. Sundar Raman was
that even though he had received information that a number
of owners/team officials were involved in betting yet he had
taken no action in the matter. When asked about the
correctness of this accusation, Mr. Sundar Raman appears to
have argued that it was Mr. V.P. Singh who had verbally
informed him about reports alleging that a number of
owners/team officials were involved in betting on IPL
matches but Mr. V.P. Singh is also alleged to have told Mr.
Sundar Raman that the information was not actionable. 128
104. From a reading of the report submitted by the
investigating team, we find that the team intended to
request Mr. Virk to join the investigation and part with the
information with him regarding Mr. Sundar Raman’s
proximity to Vindoo Dara Singh, the alleged bookie/contact
of the bookie. The Probe Committee has stopped short of
recording a specific finding regarding the complicity of Mr.
Sundar Raman in the betting racket, nor is there any explicit
justification provided by the report for the finding that 8 and
not 350 calls were made between Mr. Sundar Raman and
Vindoo Dara Singh. Suffice it to say that the report
submitted by the investigating team and the Probe
Committee do not indict Mr. Sundar Raman in clear words.
The observations made regarding his role and conduct
simply give rise to a serious suspicion about his involvement
in the betting affairs of the team owners/officials apart from
suggesting that having received information about betting
activities in connection with IPL matches, he remained
totally inert in the matter instead of taking suitable action
warranted under the circumstances. 129
105. The question then is whether Mr. Sundar Raman can be
declared to be completely innocent or does his conduct and
activities call for any other probe or investigation. Mr.
Sundar Raman was, and continues to be the Chief Operating
Officer of IPL. He has held and continues to hold a very
important position in the entire system. On his own showing
he was dealing with practically all aspects of organization of
the game, including facilitating whenever necessary the
appearance and participation of celebrities and organizing
tickets, accreditation cards and such other matters. He was,
therefore, the spirit behind the entire exercise and cannot be
said to be unconcerned with what goes on in the course of
the tournament especially if it has the potential of bringing
disrepute to the game/BCCI. We are, therefore, not inclined
to let the allegations made against Mr. Sundar Raman go
un-probed, even if it means a further investigation by the
investigating team provided to the probe committee or by
any other means. Truth about the allegations, made against
Mr. Sundar Raman, must be brought to light, for it is only
then that all suspicions about the fraudulent activities and
practices floating in the media against the BCCI and its 130
administrators in several proceedings before different courts
can be given a quietus. Having said that we propose to
issue appropriate directions regarding further investigation
and probe into the activities and conduct of Mr. Sundar
Raman on conditions that we will stipulate separately in the
later part of this judgment.
Re: Question No.7:
106. We have while answering Questions No.2 and 3
held Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan and Mr. Raj Kundra to be
guilty of betting. We have also while answering those
questions held that the misconduct against these two
individuals is actionable as per the relevant rules to which
we have referred in detail. Not only that, we have held that
action under the rules can also be taken against the
franchisees concerned. We have noticed that that the
quantum of sanction/punishment can vary depending upon
the gravity of the misconduct of the persons committing the
same.
107. One of the issues that would fall for determination
in the light of these findings would be whether we should 131
impose a suitable punishment ourselves or leave it to the
BCCI to do the needful. Having given our anxious
consideration to that aspect we are of the view that neither
of these two courses would be appropriate. We say so
because the power to punish for misconduct vests in the
BCCI. We do not consider it proper to clutch at the
jurisdiction of BCCI to impose a suitable punishment. At the
same time we do not think that in a matter like this the
award of a suitable punishment to those liable for such
punishment can be left to the BCCI. The trajectory of the
present litigation, and the important issues it has raised as
also the profile of the individuals who have been indicted,
would, in our opinion, demand that the award of punishment
for misconduct is left to an independent committee to
exercise that power for and on the behalf of BCCI. This
would not only remove any apprehension of bias and/or
influence one way or the other but also make the entire
process objective and transparent especially when we
propose to constitute a committee comprising outstanding
judicial minds of impeccable honesty. 132
108. The other aspect, which needs attention, is the
need for a probe into activities of Mr. Sundar Raman. We
are of the view that, once we appoint a Committee to
determine and award punishment, we can instead of
referring the matter back to Mudgal Committee, request the
proposed new Committee to examine the role played by Mr.
Sundar Raman, if necessary, with the help of the
investigating team constituted by us earlier.
109. The proposed Committee can also, in our opinion,
be requested to examine and make suitable
recommendations on the following aspects:
(i) Amendments considered necessary to the
memorandum of association of the BCCI and the
prevalent rules and regulations for streamlining
the conduct of elections to different posts/officers
in the BCCI including conditions of eligibility and
disqualifications, if any, for candidates wanting to
contest the election for such posts including the
office of the president of the BCCI. 133
(ii) Amendments to the memorandum of association,
and rules and regulation considered necessary to
provide a mechanism for resolving conflict of
interest should such a conflict arise despite Rule
6.2.4 prohibiting creation or holding of any
commercial interest by the administrators, with
particular reference to persons, who by virtue of
their proficiency in the game of Cricket, were to
necessarily play some role as Coaches, Managers,
Commentators etc.
(iii) Amendment, if any, to the Memorandum of
Association and the Rules and Regulations of BCCI
to carry out the recommendations of the Probe
Committee headed by Justice Mudgal, subject to
such recommendations being found acceptable by
the newly appointed Committee.
(iv) Any other recommendation with or without
suitable amendment of the relevant Rules and
Regulations, which the Committee may consider 134
necessary to make with a view to preventing
sporting frauds, conflict of interests, streamlining
the working of BCCI to make it more responsive to
the expectations of the public at large and to bring
transparency in practices and procedures followed
by BCCI.
110. In the result we pass the following order:
(I) Amendment to Rule 6.2.4 whereby the words
‘excluding events like IPL or Champions League
Twenty 20’, were added to the said rule is hereby
declared void and ineffective. The judgment and
order of the High Court of Bombay in PIL No.107
of 2013 is resultantly set aside and the said writ
petition allowed to the extent indicated above.
(II) The quantum of punishment to be imposed on Mr.
Gurunath Meiyappan and Mr. Raj Kundra as also
their respective franchisees/teams/owners of the
teams shall be determined by a Committee
comprising the following: 135
i) Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.M. Lodha, former Chief
Justice of India – Chairman.
ii) Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ashok Bhan, former Judge,
Supreme Court of India – Member.
iii) Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.V. Raveendran, former
Judge, Supreme Court of India – Member.
 The Committee shall, before taking a final view on
the quantum of punishment to be awarded, issue
notice to all those likely to be affected and provide
to them a hearing in the matter. The order passed
by the Committee shall be final and binding upon
BCCI and the parties concerned subject to the
right of the aggrieved party seeking redress in
appropriate judicial proceedings in accordance
with law.
(III) The three-member Committee constituted in
terms of Para (II) above, shall also examine the
role of Mr. Sundar Raman with or without further
investigation, into his activities, and if found
guilty, impose a suitable punishment upon him on
behalf of BCCI. 136
Investigating team constituted by this Court under
Shri B.B. Mishra shall for that purpose be available
to the newly constituted Committee to carry out
all such investigations as may be considered
necessary, with all such powers as were vested in
it in terms of our order dated 16th May, 2014.
(IV) The three-member Committee is also requested to
examine and make suitable recommendations to
the BCCI for such reforms in its practices and
procedures and such amendments in the
Memorandum of Association, Rules and
Regulations as may be considered necessary and
proper on matters set out by us in Para number
109 of this order.
(V) The constitution of the Committee or its
deliberations shall not affect the ensuing elections
which the BCCI shall hold within six weeks from
the date of this order in accordance with the
prevalent rules and regulations subject to the
condition that no one who has any commercial 137
interest in the BCCI events (including Mr. N.
Srinivasan) shall be eligible for contesting the
elections for any post whatsoever. We make it
clear that the disqualification for contesting
elections applicable to those who are holding any
commercial interest in BCCI events shall hold good
and continue till such time the person concerned
holds such commercial interest or till the
Committee considers and awards suitable
punishment to those liable for the same;
whichever is later.
(VI) The Committee shall be free to fix their fees which
shall be paid by the BCCI who shall, in addition,
bear all incidental expenses such as travel, hotel,
transport and secretarial services, necessary for
the Committee to conclude its proceedings. The
fees will be paid by the BCCI to the members at
such intervals and in such manner as the
Committee may decide. The venue of the
proceedings shall be at the discretion of the
Committee. 138
111. We hope and trust that the Committee concludes
the proceedings as early as possible, but as far as possible
within a period of six months.
112. These appeals shall stand disposed of in the above
terms with the direction that the relevant record received
from Justice Mudgal Committee shall be forwarded to the
Chairman of the newly appointed Committee without any
delay.
113. We place on record our deep appreciation for the
work done by the Probe Committee headed by Justice Mukul
Mudgal and all those who assisted the Committee in the
Probe and its early completion.
114. All miscellaneous applications shall also stand
disposed of in the above terms.
 ............................................................J.
 (T.S. THAKUR)
........................ .....................................J.
 (FAKKIR MOHAMED IBRAHIM KALIFULLA)
New Delhi;
January 22, 2015