Conflict of Interest charge against BCCI president Roger Binny ruled out

The Conflict of Interest charge against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny has been ruled out by the board's ethics officer Justice Vineet Sareen on Friday (January 13). Sanjeev Gupta had filed a Conflict of Interest, alleging that Binny's daughter-in-law Mayanti Langer is associated with Star Sports, the BCCI's official broadcaster.

The BCCI's ethics officer Vineet Sareen then served the notice to Binny and asked him for a written response by December 20, 2022. However, now in his ruling, Justice Vineet Sareen said that he did not find merit in the complaint and ruled out the complaint.

"I do not find merit in the complaint of Mr Sanjeev Gupta. Further, since the complainant has failed to establish the existence of an instance of Conflict of Interest, Rule 38(2) would not be attracted in the present case," Justice Sareen said in his ruling.

BCCI awarded media rights to Star Sports before Binny's reign: Vineet Sareen

Sareen also revealed that the BCCI awarded the media rights to Star Sports in April 2018 and in June 2022. While Binny replaced Sourav Ganguly as BCCI president in October 2022. He also added that Mayanti Langer is not an employee at Star Sports and only works on a contract basis.

"It is not the case of the complainant that Ms Langer is involved in the production of, marketing, sales, business, or management of Star Sports. She is hosting live broadcast and panels for Star Sports. The fact that the media rights for BCCI and IPL were awarded to Star Sports on 05.04.2018 and 27.06.2022 respectively is also not disputed. Hence it cannot be said as the president, the respondent (Binny) has influenced the awarding of media rights to Star Sports. Ms Langer is not an employee of Star Sports and is only working on contract with Star Sports as an anchor. In the absence of any instance of Conflict of Interest having been cited in her working in such capacity with Star Sports, it cannot be presumed that there would be any conflict of interest or that provision of Rule (38)(1)(i) would be attracted," Sareen added.

Sareen also issued a warning to complainant Sanjeev Gupta and said that the BCCI's ethics committee will not entertain further complaints if the complainant puts the charge in the public domain again.

"Directions have been given by my predecessor in complaint case 4/2020 on 15.08.2022 and 16.01.2021 directing the complainant herein not to put the complaint and other information in public domain and if same was not done, it would be viewed severely, including not entertaining the complaint itself," Sareen added.

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