NEW DELHI, July 9: The Board of Control for Crticket in India (BCCI) has asked Delhi High Court to reverse the decision that set aside the five-year ban imposed by them on cricketer Ajay Jadeja. It also accused the arbitrator who ruled in Jadeja’s favour of bias.

After Jadeja had appealed against the BCCI’s ban to Delhi High Court, the court had appointed Justice J.K. Mehra to to rule on the case. Mehra had decided in favour of Jadeja, contending that K. Madhavan’s report, which formed basis of BCCI ban, was “illegal and against prinicples of natural justice”.

BCCI’s counsel, C.S. Vaidyanathan, referred to Mehra’s ruling as a “perverse finding”. He mentioned Mehra had disallowed cross-examination of Jadeja on his telephone calls to Uttam Chand, a Chennai bookie, printouts of which were already on record.

Vaidyanathan further hit out at Mehra’s comment on “natural justice” by pointing out that BCCI counsel’s request to re-call Jadeja for further cross examination was rejected by Mehra, who did not deem it necessary to offer a reason for his rejection. Was this not in violation of the principles of “natural justice”, queried Vaidyanathan.

He went on to clarify that Madhavan’s role had been merely to investigate the matter, and not to take any action.

That onus was on BCCI’s disciplinary action committee, which had, in accordance with prinicples of “natural justice”, given a full hearing to Jadeja before deciding to impose the ban.

July 15 has been fixed as the date of next hearing.—PPI