BCCI should probe Gupta's admission of requests to draft mails: Aditya Verma

Speaking to a leading news agency, Verma said that this must be the case with regard to not just Gupta's mails in MPCA, but also the mails that he sends to the BCCI with regards to former and current cricketers. And that is why Verma wants an immediate investigation into the whole issue.

New Delhi: In a mail sent to Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sanjay Jagdale among others on Friday, Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) Life Member Sanjeev Gupta - known to level conflict of interest allegations against Indian cricketers - has admitted that he has been asked by many to draft mails on their behalf. And IPL petitioner Aditya Verma feels that the matter should be immediately investigated by the BCCI.

Speaking to a leading news agency, Verma said that this must be the case with regard to not just Gupta's mails in MPCA, but also the mails that he sends to the BCCI with regards to former and current cricketers. And that is why Verma wants an immediate investigation into the whole issue.

"This (the mail) is a sure admission by Sanjeev Gupta that he has been lending his services as a gun for hire to raise frivolous issues against individuals in his association and the same things he must be doing in BCCI also.

"This is interference with the administration of justice and is not only frustrating the working of the BCCI and state associations but is also playing havoc with the sincere implementation of the Supreme Court's orders with disgruntled people abusing the said orders and Sanjeev Gupta becoming a tool in their hands for such abuse.

"The court must order an inquiry into this serious matter. I also request Sourav Ganguly and Jay Shah to immediately constitute a panel to investigate this and identify who all are behind and take strict action against such individuals who are helping people to taint BCCI, its office bearers, cricketers and other state associations. Indian cricket is paramount and no one's personal agenda can be bigger than the game of cricket," he explained.

Verma went on to add that in the past Gupta has filed complaints against the likes of Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid among others. So were they too at the behest of someone else?

"In the past Gupta has filed complaints against great legendary players like Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid and others, now one needs to ask a question, were those complaints also motivated or filed at the behest of someone else? Was Gupta's name only a front and someone else was behind it? It would be interesting to know who all have used his eservices' till date," he pointed.

"Once again I appeal to officials of MPCA to take actions against Gupta as MPCA is an affiliated unit of BCCI, and if their Life Member is acting against the interest of BCCI, he should be expelled immediately," he added.

• Recently, Gupta filed a conflict of interest complaint against current Team India skipper Virat Kohli. In his complaint to BCCI Ethics Officer D.K. Jain, Gupta mentioned the Indian captain's involvement with VIRAT KOHLI SPORTS LLP company which has two Directors/Owners namely Virat Kohli & Amit Arun Sajdeh. And CORNERSTONE VENTURE PARTNERS LLP which has three Directors/Owners namely Virat Kohli, Amit Arun Sajdeh and Binoy Bharat Khimji.

What is conflict of interest?

'Conflict of interest' was incorporated into the BCCI constitution (approved by the Supreme Court) in August 2018. It stated that no individual should occupy more than one of the particular 16 posts at a single point of time.