SC removes BCCI honchos Anurag Thakur, Ajay Shirke

New Delhi [India], Jan. 2 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday removed Anurag Thakur from the post of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president and sought a reply from him regarding perjury charges levelled against him by Amicus Curiae Gopal Subramaniam. The apex court also ousted BCCI honorary secretary Ajay Shirke, observing that the two officials had not been complied with its July 18, 2016 order wherein the court has given six months to BCCI to implement Lodha committee reforms. The top court further observed that the BCCI and state board officials have failed to implement its orders to bring transparency and accountability in the cricket body. On December 15, the top court had observed the Thakur prima facie appears to have committed matter of perjury in relation to demanding an intervention via a letter from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in order to sidestep the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations. The apex court, which was hearing the Lodha panel's third status report that asked for the removal of top brass of the BCCI, also asked the Amicus Curiae whether Thakur had committed perjury or not in the case. In reply, the Amicus Curiae revealed that the BCCI chief, in his affidavit submitted to the top court, had said that he sought Shashank Manohar's opinion as the BCCI chairman, which was denied by the latter, saying that it was asked in the ICC meeting. It should be noted that if Thakur is found to have committed perjury, then he might land in jail. The three-member apex court-bench, headed by Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, also asked the country's cricket board to suggest if there is any name for post of administrator and also granted them a week's time for the same. Meanwhile, the top court also reserved its order on replacing BCCI top brass with a panel of administrators. On October 1, the board had accepted many of the "significant recommendations" of the Lodha Committee, but excluded the important ones which have been a bone of contention between the cricket body and the Lodha Panel. The recommendations, which have still not been accepted by the 30-member committee, include one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years, cooling-off period of three years which included the tenure of the administrators, continue with the five-selectors and retaining the powers of the president and secretary as per the earlier constitution of the board Thakur, who was a former BCCI secretary, was on May 22, 2016, unanimously elected as the BCCI president at the board's special general meeting and Shirke took over as BCCI secretary.(ANI)