Is it the end of Modi?

The Indian board's move of suspendingu00a0theu00a0IPL chairman ahead of the GC meeting is nothing short of a masterstroke

It was quite ironic that Lalit Modi, in typical flashy style, went down with a big bang. As the fireworks went up in the air at the DY Patil Stadium to mark Chennai Super Kings' victory, Modi received an e-mail from the Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar notifying his suspension as Indian Premier League chairman.



It has been a dramatic last couple of weeks in the IPL politics triggered by the controversy over the Kochi franchise ownership. In cricket parlance, it has been a stroke for stroke action between the BCCI and Modi.

The last bit of the acrimonious match was played on a dramatic Sunday when the BCCI top brass replied to Modi's change in strategy with a hammer blow. The suspension seems to sound Modi's deathknell.

Modi's suspension was a given following allegations of financial irregularities. But the decision to suspend him was expected to be carried out in today's IPL governing council meeting.

It would have been an easy decision to take in the wake of Modi's earlier stance of boycotting the meeting. But, Modi upset BCCI's calculations when he changed tactics yesterday by announcing that he would be not only attending but also chairing the meeting.

Can't afford it
It was a situation BCCI could ill-afford as it would have put the rest of the governing council members in a defensive position. As chairman, Modi would have been the one asking questions which he made clear
in the agenda he set for the meeting.

"On the agenda, will be a discussion on any complaints received in writing from members of the governing council against the chairman, other members of the council and/or the BCCI.

"Members of the governing council have been requested to give all such complaints in writing with the requisite supporting documents at the meeting to the chairman so they can be replied in full," Modi's statement said.

Modi is the only one with all IPL documents and is in a good position to manipulate those to his advantage.

But, BCCI saw the agenda behind the move and after a meeting of the top brass at their Wankhede Stadium headquarters yesterday, went for the kill.

Modi had asked for five days to clear things. BCCI has awarded him 15 days. It is a measure of the Board's confidence in their decision.
u00a0
Modi in all likelihood is expected to take legal recourse now. But it's unlikely it will make much difference to his future in Indian cricket. The fallu00a0 has been as sharp as was the rise.

Is BCCI scared of the truth, asks Modi
Indian Premier League commissioner and chairman Lalit Modi, who has been suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said today early morning that he could not fathom why he was being kept out of the Governing Council (GC) meeting of the Indian Premier League scheduled a few hours later.

"Are they scared of truth?" asked Modi on the board president's move to bar him from attending the meeting.

Sounding bitter
Modi, who referred to the off-field happenings of the last few days at the IPL closing ceremony, sounded bitter and at the same time, combative when he said every decision of his was approved in the GC as well as
by the board and accepted the responsibility for any error of judgment in discharging his duties as IPL chairman and commissioner.

Asked if he would still try to attend the meeting, Modi told a TV channel how could he do so when he has been suspended, adding that he would wait for his turn. The outgoing chairman, however, said "no comment" when asked whether he would challenge the decision in the courts.

In his speech at the prize distribution, Modi received huge applause when he thanked the people of the country for making the IPL a great sporting event.

Modi seemed to know his end was near

Though he made an effort to behave normally, the awkward way in which Lalit Modi went about his business at the IPL final yesterday, was a giveaway that he was quite aware of his impending end. He tried to act as if he was in charge when he made an entry into the stadium an hour-and-a-half before the action.

Looking dapper in a suit, Modi was seen checking out the arrangements for the closing ceremony. On his first visit to the middle, he spent time chatting with commentator Ravi Shastri, who would have been part of the governing council which would have grilled him today on the allegations of money laundering.

He was there before the toss too and greeted Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni with a warm hug before exchanging notes with Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar.

In spite of Modi's best efforts to put up a brave front, it was obvious that he was not his usual confident self.
During the game when the camera was focused on him, he broke into a conscious, forced smile.

One of the members of the TV crew who met him, told MiD DAY: "I just saw him near the pavilion, the shoulders were drooping and the swagger was missing. You could make out the air has gone 'phoos'."

Blow by blow account of the IPL boss's troubled months

March 7
BCCI cancels IPL franchise tender process after objections over stiff financial clauses. Asks for fresh bids.

March 21
New bids opened; Sahara wins Pune, Rendezvous group gets Kochi for $333.33 million. Shashi Tharoor, an MP from Kerala and junior foreign minister in the Congress government, plays mentoring role.

April 9
Media reports say IPL raises questions over Kochi's shareholding pattern, asks Rendezvous to clarify its ownership structure.

April 10
Kochi owners meet Modi in Bangalore, sign formal agreement to be part of IPL, and disclose ownership structure.

April 11
Modi reveals Kochi's shareholding pattern on Twitter. Says one shareholder is Sunanda Pushkar, whom Tharoor says he "knows well".

April 12
Kochi complains to BCCI over Modi's revelations. BCCI chief Shashank Manohar criticises Modi, who defends himself by saying no breach of propriety.

April 12-13
Tharoor issues statement denying personal stake in Kochi and alleges Modi wants the franchise moved out.

April 14
In his first public statement since the controversy broke, Modi says he disclosed Kochi's shareholding pattern because of the general confusion over the details.

April 14
The controversy grows when Kochi CEO alleges Modi offered them $50 million to "quit the game and get out" after their successful bid.

April 15
Income Tax officials visit BCCI headquarters in Mumbai and conduct an eight-hour operation in the IPL office and Modi's residence to inquire into funding for the IPL.

April 18
Tharoor resigns as minister, a result of conflict-of-interest allegations in his mentoring Kochi. Pushkar, Tharoor's close friend, gives up her 4.7% "sweat equity" stake in the franchise.

April 19
India's finance minister says all aspects of the IPL are under scrutiny. The statement comes amid allegations of financial impropriety against Modi.

April 20
An IPL governing council meeting is convened by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan for April 26 to decide Modi's fate. Modi calls meeting invalid and says he won't attend, BCCI disagrees.

April 21
Raids by I-T officials at offices of MSM and WSG, who hold the IPL broadcast rights. They also visit offices of the Punjab, Kolkata and Deccan franchises. Modi is questioned about a multi-million dollar contract for the league's broadcasting rights.

April 23
Former BCCI chief AC Muthiah files petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Indian board's rules that permit BCCI and IPL administrators to own league teams. Srinivasan, the board secretary, also owns the Chennai franchise.

April 24
Top BCCI officials skip IPL Awards in Mumbai. All indications point to an attempt to oust Modi at the meeting.

April 25
Modi agrees to attend governing council meeting and releases an agenda that includes a request for all complaints to be supported by documents.

April 26
The BCCI serves a suspension notice to Lalit Modi upon the conclusion of the IPL final.u00a0

Courtesy: Cricinfo