Gurunath Meiyappan suspended by BCCI from all cricket-related activities

Yesterday, a dinner hosted by Cricket Association of Bengal president Jagmohan Dalmiya brought BCCI officials and state unit representatives face to face with the beleaguered board chief N Srinivasan. Sources say that he proposed a life-ban for his son-in-law if he was found guilty.

Mr Srinivasan insists that he has done no wrong and that he "cannot be be bulldozed into resigning". He termed the clamour for his resignation as "orchestrated pressure".

The BCCI chief said he had no knowledge about Mr Meiyappan's betting activities and that he hardly watches T20 games.

"You can be sure BCCI will act with same alacrity as with Sreesanth... same rules apply. Steps will be taken objectively, fairly," he replied when asked how the BCCI would deal with his son-in-law.

Gurunath Meiyappan has been charged with gambling, cheating and conspiracy. Public Prosecutor Wajid Shaikh told NDTV that there is only proof of betting against Mr Meiyappan. Mumbai Police claim that he placed large bets through small-time actor Vindoo Dara Singh, who has also been arrested for his allged links to bookies involved in spot-fixing IPL games.

Mr Meiyappan was arrested on Friday night after Vindoo Dara reportedly told his interrogators that he bet on games on Mr Meiyappan's behalf.

Mumbai Police claims that Mr Meiyappan bet on Chennai Super Kings games in the ongoing IPL series. Sources claim that during his questioning, Mr Meiyappan admitted to having placed bets, but said he did so at the insistence of Vindoo.

Mr Srinivasan's India Cements, which owns Chennai Super kings, has distanced itself from Mr Meiyappan and claimed in a statement that he is "neither the Owner, nor CEO/Team Principal of Chennai Super Kings." The statement added that he is "only one of the Members (Honorary) of the Management Team of Chennai Super Kings."

Till Friday evening, Gurunath's Twitter account described him as 'Team Principal, Chennai Super Kings, Managing Director, AVM Productions and Entertainment, AVM Studios, AVM Constructions'. This was changed to 'Managing Director, AVM Productions and Entertainment, AVM Studios, AVM Constructions' around 5.30pm on Friday soon after India Cements released their statement.

Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi has said the BCCI chief must resign immediately. "Srinivasan should immediately resign, if he (does) not resign, he should be thrown out immediately...I am very clear about the fact that if we don't take the poison out of the system, the poison is only going to slowly grow and this will be the ruining of a beautiful game called cricket," he said speaking to NDTV. (Watch)