After an overnight operation at the BCCI headquarters and the offices of IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, the Income Tax department may now call him for further questioning with regard to the bidding process for the hugely popular cricket league.
I-T sources said during the seven-hour operation that ended in the small hours of Friday they took copies of the bidding documents of all the franchisees including the Kochi consortium, over which a controversy involving union minister Shashi Tharoor has arisen.
"We may call him for questioning as being a Commissioner he is involved in all the financial and other businesses of the IPL," a senior I-T department official said on the condition of anonymity.
Modi and BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty were present during the I-T officials' visit to the offices when the investigators were looking for documents to trace the source of funding of the cash rich T20 tournament.
Modi claimed this morning that the officials found everything in order and they have gone back "satisfied".
"They did not know the bidding procedure and asked me about it. They also sought the names of bidders and final documents of successful bids for the Kochi and Pune teams. We have complied with all the information," he said.
To a question he said he was questioned for 15-20 minutes. The officials wanted papaers related to two teams and it took time to collect from two or three different places.
The sources said the opeartions were conducted under Section 133 (6) of the Income Tax Act which pertains to the power of the tax authorities to call for any information.
Offering IPL to any scrutiny by any agency, its commissioner Lalit Modi on Friday said that the Income Tax authorities had sought details relating to two new franchises Kochi and Pune and have gone "satisfied".
Debunking reports that he was quizzed by IT officials for seven hours on Thursday evening, Modi told PTI in a telephonic interview "they wanted the name of bidders, the process of bidding and the details of the bids for the two new teams... we have complied with everything and they have gone back satisfied about the entire process."
Income Tax teams had visited IPL offices in BCCI at Wankhade Stadium as also Lalit Modi's offices in Worli, Mumbai, in the face of a controversy relating to the ownership of the Kochi franchisee after a successful bid of Rs 1,533 crore.
On the inquiry part, Modi said, "I was questioned for only 15-20 minutes and they wanted to know formally IPL's position on the bidders and the related issues. We explained it to them. They wanted all the relevant papers and to collect those relevant papers from 2-3 different places, it took some time."
The former BCCI chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had come out openly in support of Modi last evening saying "there in nothing wrong in disclosing the names of the stakeholders (of IPL franchisees) to the public."
His statement came amidst controversy over Modi questioning the ownership of the consortium that won the Kochi franchisee. It was alleged that Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor had a hand in his close friend Sunanda Pushkar getting free equity worth Rs 70 crore in IPL Kochi, a charge vehemently denied by the minister.
Pawar had also defended Tharoor saying his ministerial colleague's "basic interest" was to bring cricket to the centrestage in Kerala and provide opportunities to players from the state.
Asked if IT officials had sought details about other teams that were bid three years ago, Modi said "they had asked few questions on it and after they were told that information is in public domain, they did not seek further details."
Modi was questioned over the financial dealings and share holding patterns of the cricketing body as Income Tax officials left his Worli-based office early on Friday.I-T officials visited IPL Head-Quarters at Wankhede Stadium as also Modi's office at Nirlon House in upmarket Worli, where they quizzed him from 7.15 pm to 3.20 am.
According to I-T sources, the agency apart from probing the sources bankrolling the cash-flush league, is looking into whether ill-gotten money staked away in tax havens like Mauritius has made its way into the IPL. PTI
