NEW DELHI: BCCI Ethics Officer Justice (Retd) Vineet Saran ‘dismisses’ ‘conflict of interest’ case filed against BCCI Chairman Roger Binnystating that Complainant Sanjeev Gupta’s claims were devoid of any “foundation”.
Gupta’s claim in his complaint was that the stepdaughter of 1983 World Cup hero Mayanti Langer Binny working for Star Sports as an anchor is tantamount to having a contract with BCCI and therefore constitutes a conflict of interests.
Star Sports is the official broadcaster of the Indian Premier League as well as Indian National Team home games as well as all ICC events.
Gupta, a former Apex Council member of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), has filed complaints against who’s who of Indian cricket including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli for n to name a few.
Judge Saran, in his 20-point, 11-page report, summarily dismissed Gupta’s complaint and also issued a stern warning to him not to share documents related to the complaint with “unrelated parties”.
Gupta has a habit of sending all his documents to hundreds of journalists, current and former BCCI officials.
In the verdict posted online on bcci.tv, Saran said: “It is not the plaintiff’s (Gupta) case that Ms. Langer is involved in the sales, marketing, business or management of Star Sports.
“She hosts live shows and panels for Star Sports. The fact that the media rights for BCCI and IPL were awarded to Star Sports on 5.4.2018 and 27.06.2022 is also undisputed.
“Therefore, it cannot be said, as Chairman, that the Respondent (Binny) influenced his daughter-in-law’s involvement with Star Sports. Ms. Langer is not an employee of Star Sports and does not work only under contract with Star Sports as an anchor. .
“Absent any instances of a conflict of interest having been cited in his work in this capacity with Star Sports, it cannot be assumed that there will be a conflict of interest.”
In fact, Saran also stated categorically that a “mere relationship” (father-in-law and daughter-in-law) between the Respondent (Binny) and Langer would not be sufficient to establish a conflict of interest case.
Judge Saran also issued a “stern warning” to Gupta not to “willfully place complaints and other documents in the public domain and should only send copies to relevant parties.”
Gupta’s claim in his complaint was that the stepdaughter of 1983 World Cup hero Mayanti Langer Binny working for Star Sports as an anchor is tantamount to having a contract with BCCI and therefore constitutes a conflict of interests.
Star Sports is the official broadcaster of the Indian Premier League as well as Indian National Team home games as well as all ICC events.
Gupta, a former Apex Council member of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), has filed complaints against who’s who of Indian cricket including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli for n to name a few.
Judge Saran, in his 20-point, 11-page report, summarily dismissed Gupta’s complaint and also issued a stern warning to him not to share documents related to the complaint with “unrelated parties”.
Gupta has a habit of sending all his documents to hundreds of journalists, current and former BCCI officials.
In the verdict posted online on bcci.tv, Saran said: “It is not the plaintiff’s (Gupta) case that Ms. Langer is involved in the sales, marketing, business or management of Star Sports.
“She hosts live shows and panels for Star Sports. The fact that the media rights for BCCI and IPL were awarded to Star Sports on 5.4.2018 and 27.06.2022 is also undisputed.
“Therefore, it cannot be said, as Chairman, that the Respondent (Binny) influenced his daughter-in-law’s involvement with Star Sports. Ms. Langer is not an employee of Star Sports and does not work only under contract with Star Sports as an anchor. .
“Absent any instances of a conflict of interest having been cited in his work in this capacity with Star Sports, it cannot be assumed that there will be a conflict of interest.”
In fact, Saran also stated categorically that a “mere relationship” (father-in-law and daughter-in-law) between the Respondent (Binny) and Langer would not be sufficient to establish a conflict of interest case.
Judge Saran also issued a “stern warning” to Gupta not to “willfully place complaints and other documents in the public domain and should only send copies to relevant parties.”
