High Court dismisses Lalit Modi appeal

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Lalit Modi has repeatedly refused to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in India, claiming it is too dangerous for him to return © Associated Press Enlarge

A two-man bench of the Bombay High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by former IPL chairman, , challenging an earlier decision by a single judge that allowed the BCCI's disciplinary proceedings against him to continue. However, despite the ruling, the proceedings may not begin for another two weeks, according to the Times of India. In a separate case, the High Court also rejected Modi's petition against the revocation of his passport.

Justices Ranjana Desai and RG Ketkar heard arguments last month from Modi's counsel Ram Jethmalani and the BCCI's lawyers, Rafiq Dada and Raju Subramanian, before issuing their ruling yesterday. Modi had challenged the existence of the committee in an earlier petition, claiming it had been improperly constituted, but on March 4 Justice SJ Kathawala dismissed the application and criticised Modi for trying to delay the proceedings.

Modi has repeatedly challenged the composition of the committee, particularly objecting to the presence of current IPL chairman Chirayu Amin and BCCI vice-president Arun Jaitley on grounds of bias against him.

Modi's passport had been revoked by the Regional Passport Office in Mumbai on March 3 in the wake of the Enforcement Directorate's investigation into his alleged financial irregularities. Modi, who has been holed up in London, has repeatedly refused to appear before the Directorate in India, claiming it is too dangerous for him to return. He has, however, been willing to appear for questioning in London.

The 2011 IPL, the first without Modi at the helm, begins on April 8 when the defending champions, Chennai Super Kings, take on the Kolkata Knight Riders.