New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday took note of a plea of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) seeking urgent appointment of an ombudsman in the BCCI to decide on the fate of team India members Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, who have been suspended pending inquiry over their ‘insensitive’ remarks against women.
A bench comprising justices SA Bobde and AM Sapre said it will hear the matter after a week when senior advocate PS Narsimha takes over charge as amicus curiae in the matter.
The top court appointed Narsimha as amicus after senior advocate Gopal Subramanium withdrew his consent from being an amicus curiae in the matter.
Senior advocate Parag Tripathi, appearing for the CoA, said that the apex court should direct appointment of ombudsman in the BCCI urgently as the fate of two young promising cricketers needs to be decided immediately.
The controversy was triggered by Pandya and Rahul’s much-condemned statements on ‘Koffee with Karan’ in which they spoke about hookups with multiple women and being casual about it even with their parents. The comments have been described as ‘inappropriate’ by India skipper Virat Kohli.
The two-member CoA panel is divided on the issue of the length of punishment which should be meted out to both the cricketers. While CoA chief Vinod Rai is in favour of taking a ‘soft stance’ with the two players, his co-panelist Diana Edulji wants stringent action against them. Sources said that Edulji wants both to be banned for a year at least irrespective of the fact that Pandya and Rahul have crucial roles to play in the upcoming World Cup. In fact, the team management has ‘unofficially’ indicated to all those who matter in the BCCI, that Pandya cannot be overlooked for the World Cup.
PTI