Kapil, Gaekwad asked to appear before BCCI ethics officer

New Delhi : BCCI ethics officer D K Jain has asked Kapil Dev and Anshuman Gaekwad to appear in Mumbai later this month to explain conflict of interest allegations against them even though they have already resigned from the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC).

The CAC, comprising Kapil, Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy, had resigned after getting conflict of interest notices from Jain in September, following the complaint filed by Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) life member Sanjeev Gupta. There is no CAC in place anymore but they have been asked to depose in person on December 27 and 28.

"Though they have stepped down, the ethics officer has sought some clarifications from them," a BCCI source told PTI. A livid Kapil said he will not go to Mumbai and called the complaint a publicity stunt.

"I won't be going as I have much more important work to do. As I have said it in the past, it was a one off task we were assigned (to pick coach). We did that. It wasn't a two-year job or something like that and it was honorary," a miffed Kapil said.

"Where is the question of any conflict? It is a good way to get publicity, dragging cricketers into all this," he told PTI. When contacted, Gaekwad said he will go to Mumbai to attend the hearing.

"Yes, I will meet the ethics officer and explain my point of view once again, like I had in my written reply to him earlier. The Committee of Administrators had approved our appointment (in CAC) only after being convinced that there was no conflict," Gaekwad told PTI.

BCCI employee Mayank Parikh, who also faces conflict of interest charges, has also been asked to depose on December 27. A part of the management team in the BCCI, Parikh is also associated with multiple clubs, with voting rights, in the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

The Kapil-led CAC, when it was existent, had appointed the men's and women's national head coach. Being part of CAC is an honorary job and the World Cup-winning captain had earlier said that conflict of interest should not be applicable to those who are not being paid for their services.

Gaekwad too agreed with Kapil's view on the subject. Conflict of interest is a serious issue facing Indian cricket and the board has sought Supreme Court's directions on the matter. As per the existing constitution, no person can occupy more than one post at the same time.

In the complaint, Gupta had claimed that Kapil and Gaekwad don multiple cricketing roles. He wrote that 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil was conflicted as he was a commentator, owner of a floodlight company, director of Indian Cricketers' Association, besides being on the CAC.

Likewise, Gupta alleged that Gaekwad too was conflicted as he owns an academy and is a member of BCCI Affiliation Committee.

"There was no sub-committee in place during the COA's tenure and it is still the case. How can I be part of an affiliation committee that doesn't exist?" asked Gaekwad.