CricketViewer.com

The BCCI seems to be tightening the screws on Jagmohan Dalmiya with the shadow of a ‘’lifetime ban'’ looming in the background barely a week before a disciplinary panel hears the former Board chief.

A senior Board official told this paper that Dalmiya may be banned from participating in all BCCI-related activities if he fails to come up with a ‘’reasonable explanation'’ for alleged financial irregularities when the Kolkata businessman was in charge.

It may also come into effect if Dalmiya, currently president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), fails to turn up for the disciplinary hearing scheduled to be held in New Delhi on July 26, said the official.

‘’Let him come for the hearing. We don’t know yet if he’s attending or if he’s going to request a postponement due to the CAB elections. But whatever it is, what we are looking at a lifetime ban,'’ the official said. The hearing will be conducted by the Board’s three-man disciplinary panel of BCCI chief Sharad Pawar, Chirayu Amin and Shashank Manohar.

While the legal validity of such a ban is questionable, especially if Dalmiya is re-elected as CAB president this month-end, the former ICC chief is yet to finalise his next move.

“I will arrive at a decision soon (on attending the hearing) and will make my stance clear after that,'’ said Dalmiya, who has already been suspended from participating in its activities till early-October.

Source:India Sports