FEMA Violation: BCCI Allowed to be Present During Cross-examination by Lalit Modi

Mumbai [India], Feb 28: The Bombay High Court has allowed representatives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be present during the cross-examination of their erstwhile top officials by former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi's counsels in an alleged case of violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

"In pursuance of directions issued by the Bombay High Court in respect of allegations regarding FEMA violations in the conduct of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in South Africa in the year 2009, the erstwhile BCCI top brass N. Srinivasan, Mr. Chirayu Amin, Mr. Shashank Manohar, Sundar Raman, M.P. Pandove etc. were to be cross-examined by Lalit Modi's counsels Swadeep Hora and Abhishek Singh," an official statement from Mehmood Abdi, General Counsellor of Lalit Modi, said.

The cross-examination will take place before Special Director, Enforcement Directorate, who is the Adjudicating Authority under directions of the Bombay High Court. However, the erstwhile BCCI top officials appear to have developed cold feet at the prospect of being cross-examined by Modi's legal team.

Sundar Raman, who was to be cross-examined in the forenoon of March 1, 2018, refused to appear, as in the request of his lawyers Beri & Co, Advocates "he is presently in poor health and is undergoing treatment for the same" and, therefore, requires time to appear for cross-examination. Chirayu Amin, who was to be cross-examined in the afternoon of the same day, has refused to appear for undisclosed reasons.

Last month, the court had allowed a petition filed by Modi, challenging the authority of the Enforcement Directorate not permitting him to cross-examine the witnesses in the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case against him. Modi is an accused among others, including senior Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) officials in an ED case relating to IPL operations.