'If franchise is banned, how can the teams escape?' - Mudgal

Justice Mukul Mudgal, who had been appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate into allegations of corruption in the IPL, has said the Lodha committee report followed the principle of the consequence of wrongdoing, by which the team was punished for the transgressions of the team's owners.

Mudgal's findings had confirmed that Gurunath Meiyappan, a former team official of Chennai Super Kings, and Raj Kundra, a former owner of Rajasthan Royals had indulged in betting in February 2014. Based on that report, RM Lodha, a former Chief Justice of India, and his committee suspended India Cements and Jaipur IPL Ltd as owners of Super Kings and Royals respectively.

"I haven't seen the whole report. But I'm sorry, if the franchise is banned, how can the team escape?," he told Times Now. "Remember Juventus and some Italian team, which for the wrongdoing of one of the players or one of the officials was relegated to the third division in Italy. So this has to happen. It's a consequence of some wrong doing and it also sends a message all across, right to the top, don't indulge in any wrong doing."

The affected parties do have the right to appeal against the verdict, but Mudgal felt there might not be many judges willing to overrule the Lodha committee's verdict.

"If you read the Supreme Court's order, in the last line says, this'll be subject to any remedy in accordance with law. So challenge is available, the question is, when a committee comprising a former Chief Justice and two former Supreme Court judges gives a report, it is highly unlikely that a court will interfere in that verdict. I can't rule it out. Theoretically it is possible."

As a result, the IPL at this point consists of only six teams instead of the earlier eight. Mudgal conceded it was a setback, but only a "temporary" one.

"It is for the greater good," he said. "Please remember however great it may be, however popular it may be, it's about the game of cricket. And therefore in the long run it will benefit the IPL. There is a current feeling that all matches in the IPL are fixed, which is totally wrong. I can only think that this step will restore people's confidence in the game of cricket and in the IPL. That is a very good thing."

When asked if such a strong verdict poses grounds for a change to the way the BCCI functions or if an external agency should monitor the board, Mudgal said the Lodha committee is gathering information with regards to that.

"They are going into [the constitution of the BCCI] as far as I know. They are going into it very deeply and they are hearing a lot of people," Mudgal said "Even journalists. I'm sure if you want to give your point of view, you can go and do it. They have already spoken to forty people, which Lodha said today and they intend to speak to many more.

"I think if you were to wait for Justice Lodha's recommendation. They are looking into all these aspects. Second part of the report is going to look into all this."