The Bombay High Court on Sunday said that the IPL facilitation-fee which became a major reason for Lalit Modi's downfall was not illegal.
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Lalit Modi, the chief architect of Indian Premier League (IPL), breathed a sigh of relief after the Bombay High Court on Sunday declared the much-maligned facilitation fee of the lucrative tournament was not illegal. The facilitation fee was one of the major reasons that saw the downfall of Modi after IPL 2010 and subsequent expulsion from Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI).
Modi, 56, however highlighted that some of the members of the board are living off his creation and the lucrative tournament will go on to become a global showpiece event from India.
“Truth has prevailed,” the beleaguered Modi, now in exile in the UK, told Cricbuzz.
“Time is a factor, I single-handedly built the IPL. Not that I care but the BCCI banned me for life. Guess what I made recession (economic slowdown of 2008) Modi proof. Mark my words it will be a global showpiece from India. It will be a big entertainment property globally. And I did it free of cost for my country to watch on TV.
“The sad part is the petty members, who live off my creation, are so scared of my shadow that they even refused entry to my children on a paid ticket. Only question now is what will media say – fugitive? Go ahead try. Now I will sue all in UK, then see the fun (sic),” Modi added.
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Justice BP Colabawala ruled that World Sports Group India (WSGI), which initially held the IPL rights for 2008-17, helped BCCI earn Rs 1791 crore more and acted in the interest of the board.
The court declared that the Rs 425-crore Facilitation Fee, which became a hugely contentious issue, was a bona fide clause in the tripartite agreement among the BCCI-WSGI-MSM.
The court ruling stands contrary to the board claims which said that only Modi was aware of it.
“I fail to understand how the Majority Award has come to this finding. Firstly, how BCCI is entitled to Rs.425 crores is something that is not explained in the Majority Award. From the documents on record, namely the Agreements entered into in the year 2009 as well as the Press Note issued by MSM dated 23rd April 2010, prima facie, it would appear that Rs.425 crores was to be paid to WSGM for giving up its India Rights for the period 2009-2017, and which had come to it by virtue of the DMAT read with the BCCI-WSGM MRLA dated 15th March 2009,” Justice Colabawala said.
