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'I have no connection with cricket, IPL', says Praful Patel | | Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Tuesday brushed aside all media reports about him being a proxy owner of an Indian Premier League (IPL) team, adding he had
no link with cricket or the IPL. Patel told NDTV that these reports are a 'slanderous
campaign' filled with 'unsubstantiated allegations'. "I do not have anything to
do with cricket, IPL, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the bidding
process," said Patel. "There is no question of holding any kind of stake," he
added. Patel, however, said his only connection with the IPL is that his daughter
works as a junior intern with one of the IPL teams. "My daughter works as a junior
intern with the IPL. That is the extent of my involvement," he said. Reacting
to media reports that he and Union Agriculture Minister and Board of Control for
Cricket in India (BCCI) strongman Sharad Pawar backed the two groups, who lost
the bids last month for new franchises, Patel said he had no links with Ahmedabad's
Adani Group or Pune's Videocon Group. "Anyway, they did not win the bids. If we
were so powerful, they would have got the teams," he added. Patel further said
he was ready to face any inquiry in this regard. Earlier in the day, Pawar distanced
himself from IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi He told reporters that he had nothing
to do with the IPL. "I am not dealing with this subject, am not a member of IPL
committee. I am not aware of any BCCI meeting or impending decision. I have not
received any notice of the meeting, only read in the papers that such a meeting
has been scheduled for April 25," said Pawar. BCCI top officials are said to be
extremely unhappy with Modi after he triggered off a controversy by tweeting the
Kochi franchise's stake holding pattern, which also brought the cricket board
under the income tax department's scanner. The BCCI Working Committee meeting
has said a meeting will be held on May 2 to discuss the issue. |
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