BCCI asks Rahul Dravid to depose on November 12

Rahul Dravid has been summoned by BCCI’s ethics officer DK Jain on November 12, for the second time, to make some further clarifications and submissions about the conflict of interest allegations against him. The charges were brought forward by MPCA life member Sanjiv Gupta which alleged Dravid of conflict of interest in his current position of National Cricket Academy head and being an India Cements employee. 

Dravid, who is currently the NCA head, was the vice president of the India Cements group, which owns the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, before taking the position. Dravid was also the coach of Under-19 and India A team before joining the NCA which oversees both the teams. According to the BCCI constitution, no individual can hold more than one position at the same time.

The 46-year-old has already made his position in the case clear, in the personal hearing held at Mumbai on September 26. Dravid had stated, in the meeting, that he has taken a leave of absence from his position in the company and hence have no link with either India Cements or Chennai Super Kings.

"Jain wrote to Dravid on Wednesday night, asking him to depose on November 12 in New Delhi. Gupta too will be heard," a BCCI official told PTI.

The new BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has been very critical of the conflict of interest clause of the BCCI constitution and has termed it as a grave issue that Indian cricket is facing. Ganguly also had lashed out when Dravid first faced the allegations. 

The CoA, whose 33 month regime at the BCCI, came to an end with the ascension of Ganguly as the president of the board, has recommended some key amendments in what is termed as a “straight-jacketed” conflict of interest clause in the constitution of the board in its 11th and last report to the Supreme Court of India.