New Delhi, october 01: In a sensational accusation on Friday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) blamed former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi of stealing 24 high-priced Swiss watches.
According to sources, Bandelier watches, the official IPL watch, has told the board that they have made huge losses after being associated with the T20 league since 24 of their expensive watches were taken away by Modi.
Talking to reporters Shashank Manohar said that he had received a complaint from the watch company.
“With Bandelier watches (official IPL watch), we got a mail from them saying we have had huge losses since we only sold 35 watches and 24 of them were taken by Modi and were not paid for,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Modi was ousted from the Indian cricket board during the BCCI AGM.
Modi was removed from the posts of vice-president and head of the marketing committee at the Board of Control for Cricket in India annual general meeting in Mumbai.
Modi was suspended this year as chief of the IPL governing council, which is a subcommittee of the BCCI.
“Modi is not part of the BCCI anymore. Now he cannot say that he is a suspended IPL chairman,” board chief Shashank Manohar told reporters.
The board also made some changes in the management of the IPL.
Interim chairman Chirayu Amin was named as the full-time chief of the governing council, which no longer includes former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar.
“The period of the governing council has been reduced to one year from five years. It will have five members and two cricketers,” said Manohar.
Ravi Shastri is the only international cricketer named in the panel, with one more to be named shortly to complete a seven-member team.
Gavaskar and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi were part of the previous council.
-Agencies