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Indian Premier League Controversies

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki


Indian Premier League
CountriesIndia
AdministratorBoard of Control for Cricket in India
HeadquartersMumbai, India
FormatTwenty20
First Edition2008
Latest Edition2026
Next Edition2027
Tournament formatDouble round-robin format followed by playoffs
Websiteiplt20.com

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 (T20) cricket league in India, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Slapgate controversy

During the 2008 season, the then Mumbai Indians player Harbhajan Singh slapped S. Sreesanth at the end of a match, resulting in Harbhajan being fined and banned from the remaining games of the season. Years later, Harbhajan apologized to Sreesanth on television for the incident.[1][2][3]

Lalit Modi controversy

The IPL founder and the then Chairman Lalit Modi was accused of extremely serious financial irregularities and misconduct. The scandal began in 2010. It followed accusations of bid-rigging, money laundering, and gross financial irregularities amounting to ₹1,975 crore. The The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) conducted an in-house investigation in the allegations and found them to be prima-facie correct.

Thereafter Modi was suspended by the BCCI and some time later, he fled to London. In 2013, the BCCI banned Modi for the life time, a ban which continues till date. The primary elements of the controversy included the Kochi Tuskers Incident (2010), financial Embezzlement, bid Rigging, exile and later Revelations.[4] [5][6]

Kochi Tuskers controversy

The Kochi Tuskers Kerala controversy in 2010 was a massive scandal involving both political and financial aspects. It involved Lalit Modi, the then Union Minister Shashi Tharoor and his wife Sunanda Pushkar.

The core allegations related to improper use of political coercion and that of "sweat equity". The controversy erupted when Modi publicly revealed the details as regards the ownership of the then newly awarded Kochi Tuskers franchise. He said that a 25% "free equity" of Kochi Tuskars had been allocated to Sunanda Pushkar, who was then a known close associate of Tharoor, and who later became his wife. Modi said he would not sign this franchise agreement until the financial origins of this stake were brought on record in a clear and distinct manner.

This had resulted in massive political and sports controversy, which marked the end of Kochi franchise. It played in only the 2011 IPL season and in September 2011, the BCCI terminated the team's franchise agreement on many grounds. This resulted in long-drawn legal and arbitration battles between the franchise owners and the BCCI. The Kochi Tuskars never returned back to IPL, though the Courts later found the termination illegal and directed the BCCI to compensate the franchise heavily. [7] After receiving only two bids, IPL changed the ITT, removing the net worth clause and reducing the guarantee amount to US$10 million.[8] [9] [10] [11]

Lalit Modi financial embezzlements

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), undetook investigations in following cases against Modi and other BCCI officials:[12]

  • Contravening the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to the extent of ₹ 890 million (a charge against Modi, BCCI and few other officials).
  • Accepting deposit of ₹ 200 million from UK-based Emerging Media (IPL), in contravention of FEMA (charge against Modi, BCCI, N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah)
  • Payment of ₹ 2.43 billion to Cricket South Africa for IPL 2009, in contravention of FEMA (charge against Modi, BCCI, Shashank Manohar and other BCCI officials)
  • Payment of US$80 million to World Sports Group (WSG) by Multi Screen Media (MSM), as facilitation fees to withdraw from the telecast rights contract
  • Routing of US$25 million from MSM-WSG deal to illegal accounts of Lalit Modi, his associates and political beneficiaries
  • Telling selective bidders how much to bid during the first IPL team auction in 2008
  • Using illegal money to buy corporate jet through a Cayman Islands company
  • Investment of ₹ 100 million by Modi's wife in Indian heritage hotel through a Mauritius-based company
  • Other cases related to FEMA violations, including ownership of IPL franchisee, nature of foreign investments, and valuation and transfer of shares

Modi defended himself arguing that he was not individually responsible for the decisions: BCCI and its committees took these decisions collectively. He refused to return to India, stating that there was a threat to his life. .[13][14] [15]

In 2010, Modi claimed on Twitter that New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns had been involved in match-fixing during 2008. In March 2012, Cairns successfully sued Modi for making false statements and won $950,000 in damages.[16]

In 2013, a BCCI committee found Modi guilty on 8 charges, which resulted in his expulsion from BCCI. The committee was led by the BCCI vice-president and BJP leader Arun Jaitley; its other members included the Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and Chirayu Amin.[17] The charges against Modi included:[18]

  1. Rigging bids: Adding two onerous clauses to the invitation to tender draft without informing the BCCI, to favour two bidders. (Modi claimed that he had verbally informed the BCCI President Shashank Manohar).
  2. Threatening a representative of the Kochi Tuskers Kerala to give up their franchise rights or face sanctions
  3. Favouring World Sports Group (WSG) for TV rights
  4. Failing to disclose links to owners with interests in Internet rights (Guarav Burman, his step-daughter's husband, held a stake in Global Cricket Venture)
  5. Misconduct of threatening to "expose certain individuals in the BCCI" via tweets
  6. Planning a rival cricket league with clubs in England
  7. Awarding theatrical rights to a company without the governing council's approval
  8. Signing a free commercial time deal with an agency without the governing council's approval

As a result, BCCI banned Modi for life in 2013.[19]

Lalit Modi ban

BCCI banned former Modi for life on September 25, 2013. The unanimous decision was made during a Special General Meeting (SGM) in Chennai, finding him guilty of "serious misconduct, indiscipline, and financial irregularities" following an investigation into his tenure. The BCCI's disciplinary committee had found Modi guilty of financial impropriety, bid-rigging in franchises, and manipulating broadcasting contracts, through misuse of his position as IPL Chairman. Since then his ban has not been uplifted and the life ban permanently prevents him from holding any position within the BCCI or its affiliated state cricket associations. [20] [21][22] [23][24]

Lalit Modi recent accusations

In a spate of podcast and media interviews made in June 2026, including a detailed interview with ANI Editor-in-Chief Smita Prakash, Modi made several sensational claims regarding the early years of IPL including underworld threats. Modi claimed that his strict crackdown on illegal betting and match-fixing had angered the mafia and the underworld. He went to the extent of alleging that the dreaded gangster Dawood Ibrahim's group made three attempts on his life. He also claimed that even his son was kidnapped and that he had received direct threat call which led him to finally leave the IPL.

In addition, he claimed that former Congress President Sonia Gandhi had backed the then Minister Shashi Tharoor, who was at the back of Kochi Tuskers. Modi claimed Tharoor initially "sucked up" to him, visiting his house and making sweet talks to accommodate the franchise arrangements to Sunanda Pushkar in Kochi Tuskers. When Modi allegedly declined to do so, Tharoor allegedly directly threatened Modi with government raids if he questioned the equity structure of the Kochi Tuskers. He even named Sonia Gandhi, claiming that "all guns were trained on me", naming Ahmed Patel, Pranab Mukherjee, and Rajiv Shukla, as pressurizing him to clear the Kochi franchise deal. He alleged that the then BCCI President Shashank Manohar had also asked him to do so, specifically mentioned 10-Janpath pressure. Modi claimed the Congress party is running a long-term vendetta against him, where Rahul Gandhi continues to target him during elections even today. He said he possesses huge amount of evidences of this targeted witch-hunt against him. [25][26] [27][28] [29][30]

Modi also claimed that the Mumbai Police actively helped him in leaving the country. [31][32] [33][34]

Spot-fixing and betting cases

In the 2012 IPL spot-fixing case, the BCCI imposed a lifetime ban on Deccan Chargers player TP Sudhindra and suspended four other players.[35] In a sting operation, Pune Warriors India player Mohnish Mishra was recorded alleging that IPL franchise owners paid players black money, over and above their salaries. Mishra later apologized for his "frivolous and incorrect statements".[36][37]

In the 2013 IPL spot-fixing and betting case, Delhi police arrested Rajasthan Royals players Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan and S. Sreesanth on charges of spot-fixing; they received lifetime bans from the BCCI. The police also arrested Gurunath Meiyappan, the team principal of Chennai Super Kings and son-in-law of then BCCI president N. Srinivasan, for illegally betting on IPL matches and passing team information to bookmakers.[38][39] In 2015, the Lodha Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court of India, banned Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings for two years. Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra were found guilty of betting and banned from any involvement with the game. Justice RM Lodha said, "Disrepute has been brought to cricket, the BCCI and the IPL to such an extent that there are doubts abound in the public whether the game is clean or not."[40]

References

  1. ↑ "Harbhajan banned for rest of IPL season". ESPNcricinfo. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "'Forget it man!': Harbhajan Singh interrupts after Sehwag reminds Sreesanth of 'slapgate' incident". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  3. ↑ "'If I had to Correct one Mistake, it's How I treated Sreesanth': Harbhajan on Infamous Slapgate Incident". News18.
  4. ↑ "Lalit Modi: Former IPL cricket chief banned for life". BBC News. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  5. ↑ "Lalit Modi: IPL Founder and Controversies". scribd.com. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "Rise and fall of Lalit Modi". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  7. ↑ Amol Karhadkar (7 September 2013). "How Kochi finally claimed Modi".
  8. ↑ "IPL may get 6 bidders for 2 new teams". Rediff.
  9. ↑ Pune, Kochi win bid for franchises. Cricbuzz, 22 March 2010.
  10. ↑ "Revealed: The Kochi controversy inside story". Times Now. 13 April 2010.
  11. ↑ "Shashi Tharoor Resigns: India Cricket Scandal Takes Down Government Minister". Huffington Post. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  12. ↑ Virendrasingh Ghunawat (17 June 2015). "Charges and court cases against Lalit Modi in India". India Today.
  13. ↑ "Mumbai police endorse Lalit Modi's life threat claim". 2 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Dawood wanted to kill Lalit Modi for not paying up: Mumbai Police". Hindustan Times. 19 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "The tale of the 16 ED notices to Lalit Modi". Rediff.
  16. ↑ "Cairns awarded $950,000 for libel". nzherald.co.nz. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "BCCI's Arun Jaitley panel had indicted Lalit Modi for favouring Adani". 19 June 2015.
  18. ↑ "The BCCI's charges against Lalit Modi". ESPN. 6 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "Ex-IPL chief Modi handed life ban". BBC News. 25 September 2013.
  20. ↑ "Lalit Modi expelled from BCCI". ESPN. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  21. ↑ "BCCI bans former IPL chief Lalit Modi for life". Reuters. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  22. ↑ "Lalit Modi dumped entirely from Indian cricket after BCCI". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  23. ↑ "Lalit Modi banned for life by BCCI". The Mint. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  24. ↑ "LFormer IPL chief Lalit Modi banned by Indian cricket board for misconduct". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  25. ↑ ""Tharoor Said, 'Don't Ask About Sunanda Pushkar, or I'll Have You Raided'": Lalit Modi". ANI Podcast. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  26. ↑ "Lalit Modi Alleges Congress Political Vendetta, Says Rahul Gandhi Targets Him Every Election". CNN News18. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  27. ↑ "'Sonia Gandhi Was Backing Him': Lalit Modi Claims High-Level Congress Pressure In Kochi IPL Row". ABP News. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  28. ↑ "'Sonia Gandhi Was Backing Him': Lalit Modi Alleges High-Level Congress Coverup For Shashi Tharoor in 2010 IPL Kochi Scandal". News X. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  29. ↑ "All guns were trained on me': Lalit Modi names Sonia Gandhi, alleges pressure to protect Shashi Tharoor in Kochi IPL row". The Statesman. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  30. ↑ "Lalit Modi Says Shashi Tharoor Threatened Him for questioning Sunanda Pushkar's role in Kochi IPL franchise: 'Sonia Gandhi Backed Him'". Sunday Guardian. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  31. ↑ "1,000 Businessmen Rejected IPL, Founder Lalit Modi's Stunning Revelation: 'Needed To Attract Saas Bahu Audience'". NDTV. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  32. ↑ "'My Son Was Kidnapped': IPL Founder Lalit Modi Reveals Why He Retired From Cricket". NDTV Profit. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  33. ↑ "Lalit Modi's 8 bombshell claims: On Dawood, PM Modi, IPL and more". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  34. ↑ "Lalit Modi's 5 Big revelations". Times of India. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  35. ↑ "BCCI bans five cricketers for spot-fixing in Indian Premier League". India Today. July 2012. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  36. ↑ "BCCI suspends 5 cricketers after sting operation". The Hindu. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2023. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  37. ↑ "IPL spot-fixing: Mohnish Mishra admits and aplogises". NDTV. Indo-Asian News Service. 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  38. ↑ "The Gurunath Meiyappan case". ESPNcricinfo. 21 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  39. ↑ "On this day in 2013: IPL spot-fixing scandal rocks cricketing world; Sreesanth among three players arrested". Firstpost. 16 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 October 2023. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  40. ↑ "CSK, RR suspended from IPL for 2 years; Meiyappan, Kundra banned for life". Times of India. 14 July 2015. Archived from the original on 18 November 2022. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)

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