Lalit Modi's lawyers want Amin, Jaitley out of panel

Suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi's lawyers yesterday demanded the removal of Chirayu Amin and Arun Jaitely from the disciplinary panel of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the appointment of a retired supreme court judge in the panel.

At the second hearing of the disciplinary committee, which lasted over three-and-a-half hours, Modi's lawyers debated on the issue of recusal of the two members from the disciplinary committee.

Modi has maintained that Amin, IPL's interim chairman, and Jaitley, governing council member of the league, would be biased against him during the disciplinary proceedings. The third member of the committee is union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Modi has been charged on several counts ranging from financial irregularities to bid-rigging as chairman of the cash-rich IPL.

"The core issue of recusal of two members from the panel was debated. Our lawyers argued the case. The BCCI will be allowed to come out with a rejoinder," Modi's counsel Mehmood Abdi told reporters after the hearing.

"A retired Supreme Court judge must be there in the committee. We have grave concern about the BCCI's stance. If they have already decided, then what's the point in all their meetings? Whosoever is doing this is hurting BCCI's cause more," Abdi said.

Abdi said the next meeting of the committee has been scheduled for Aug 1 here.

"The meeting has been scheduled for a Sunday considering that the parliament session is going on and taking into account the convenience of the lawyers," Abdi said.