Rahul Dravid cleared of conflict of interest case
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The chief of National Cricket Academy Rahul Dravid has been cleared of the “conflict of interest” charge that was levelled against him by Sanjiv Gupta. DK Jain, BCCI ethics officer, dismissed the complaint against Dravid as he termed it as a ”bereft of merit” after a second hearing on Tuesday.
Former India skipper and current head of National Cricket Academy (NCA) Rahul Dravid has heaved a sigh of relief as the conflict of interest charge against him has been removed. The Board for Control of Cricket in India’s (BCCI) ethics officer DK Jain dismissed the complaint against the former India international as he termed it as a “bereft of any merit”.
Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) life member Sanjiv Gupta is the one who had brought conflict of interest charges against Dravid. The complaint alleged conflict of interest on Dravid’s part in his role as NCA chief as he also held the position of vice president in India Cements, the company which owns the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
“I have rejected the complaint. Rahul Dravid doesn’t have a conflict of interest,” Jain said after issuing the order.
“I am convinced that on facts at hands, a case of conflict of interest as enshrined in the Rules is not made out. Resultantly, the complaint is dismissed being bereft of any merit,” read Thursday’s order.
Jain issued the order after he conducted a second hearing on Tuesday (November 12) which Dravid attended with his lawyer. Previously Dravid had made his stand clear in a personal hearing that he on leave of absence from his post in India Cements and has nothing to do with CSK.
As per Rule 38 (4) of the BCCI constitution, no individual can hold more than one post at the same time.
However, in Dravid’s case, the ethics officer has interpreted the rule a bit differently while in the order passed in June, Jain had found Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman conflicted for holding multiple posts.
“To put it differently, for examining an instance of “conflict of interest”, mere holding of posts by an individual associated with the BCCI, as identified in Sub-rule (4) of Rule 38 of the Rules, may not per se be sufficient for arriving at the conclusion of existence of “conflict of interest“.
“But whether holding of such post(s) gives rise to “conflict of interest” or not must also be tested on the anvil of reasonable apprehensions of, or actual favouritism, lack of objectivity, bias, benefits, etc., as contemplated in the definition of “conflict of interest” in Rule(A)(g) of the Rules,” read the order.
The conflict of interest clause of the BCCI constitution has been controversial lately as it led the former India cricketers Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar to step down from the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). The CoA in its final report to the Supreme Court has requested for an amendment in the ‘straight jacketed’ clause in the constitution of the board.
