Court serves notices in Azhar case

The Hyderabad City Civil Court on Tuesday served urgent notices on the Board of Control for Cricket in India, its president Dr A C Muthiah and former CBI joint director K Madhavan, on a suit filed by former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, asking them to file their counter affidavits by February 14.

The second additional chief judge J Shyamsundar Rao issued notices to the three respondents in response to the plea made by T Jadish, advocate of Azahruddin, who moved the court on Tuesday, challenging the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI.

The former India captain is contending that the appointment of Madhavan as inquiry commissioner is not in accordance with the BCCI rules.

In a 17-page original suit filed in the court, Azharuddin, naming the BCCI, Madhavan and Muthiah as respondents, prayed the court to declare as null and void the life ban imposed on him, and the findings of Madhavan report on match-fixing.

In view of the forthcoming visit of the Australian team to India next month, the advocate sought that urgent notices be sent to the respondents.

Azharuddin has sought the court's intervention to allow him to play for the national side and be eligible for all retirement benefits as the appointment of Madhavan was illegal and violative of the BCCI rules, and the proceedings conducted against him were 'void-ab-initio'.

Mail Cricket Editor