Sanjeev Gupta files complaint against Virat Kohli for alleged Conflict of Interest
An MPCA Life member, Sanjeev Gupta has written to the BCCI Ethics Officer complaining about Virat Kohli’s commercial venture, which, he cites, must be considered as a Conflict of Interest. However, a BCCI executive has stated that the mail has vested interest against Indian cricket and its captain.
Anyone well versed with BCCI politics has been privy to the amount of chaos that Sanjeev Gupta has been able to create in Indian cricket, taking down as many as two Cricket Advisory Committees that involved some of the biggest names of Indian cricket like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, and Kapil Dev among others.
The latest cricketer to have faced the Gupta wrath is Virat Kohli, as his involvement with VIRAT KOHLI SPORTS LLP and CORNERSTONE VENTURE PARTNERS LLP has now come under the scanner. Gupta wrote a letter to BCCI Ethics Officer Just., DK Jain, pointing out Kohli’s conflict of interest.
"Virat Kohli is occupying two posts at a time in blatant violation to BCCI Rule 38(4) approved by Supreme Court Of India. As such, he must relinquish his one post at once in compliance, his two posts are covered as under - A - 38(4)(a) - Player. B - 38(4)( o ) - Contractual Entity, to be read with BCCI Rule 38(1) (iii),” Gupta wrote in his letter, reported IANS.
"I humbly solicit Learned Ethics Officer to forthwith pass the order directing Virat Kohli to give away one of his posts, at once, in compliance to BCCI Constitution dated 21.08.18 Rule Number 38(4) (Approved by Apex Court ).
"My sole pure intent behind filing each & every precise/factual complaint is for 100% compliance of Lodha Reforms & Supreme Court-approved BCCI Constitution without any personal agenda & without any vested interest. I am least bothered about the persona/aura of the individual, as I am only bothered for 10 % compliance. No individual, how Rich / Big / Influential / Powerful one is, can never be above the law of the Land. 'The Supreme Court' verdict, everybody has to Respect, Accept & 100% comply forthwith & fall in line.
"Nothing to attain & nothing of mine at stake, it is Supreme Court verdicts sanctity & compliance at stake, for which I am all alone combating day in & day out for last 4 years & will continue to do so till my mind & body will support said noble cause/intent without any fear/favour/influence/assistance/influence. I have not & will not leave any stone unturned for the same," he wrote.
A BCCI Executive, however, didn’t take the situation lightly and attacked Gupta, alleging a vested interest in the complaint. The official stated that there was clear effort, from Gupta's part, to create a nuisance and blackmail those who have served the country’s cricket team and added that for these kinds of complaints, the concept of locus standi should be a necessity.
"One look at the complaint email and you know it is motivated. Someone is clearly trying to attack the office-bearers of the BCCI and now the captain of the Indian team for some hidden reason. With what has happened over the last 6 years, this pattern is clearly visible.
"I mean just see at the number of addresses on the email and the language, the intention is clearly to scream off the rooftops to malign people who are successful. There's clearly some motivation. For these kinds of complaints, the concept of locus standi should be a necessity. Otherwise, there will be no end to nuisance and blackmail," the executive pointed.