Sanjeev Gupta targeting cricketers and harming Indian cricket: Aditya Verma

Speaking to IANS, Verma said that while the Lodha Panel reforms were aimed to benefit Indian cricket, Gupta has been using it to hurt soft targets like cricketers who have brought glory to the country.

"For past some months I have been reading about the complaints filed and the series of emails made by Gupta who titles himself as a life member of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association. The Lodha Reforms were brought in by the Supreme Court for the benefit of cricket and BCCI.

"On the contrary in the last 1-1.5 years it seems like continuous emails and complaints by Gupta is trying to destroy the spirit of the reforms and appears to be motivated. The pattern is clear and his complaints are only for the benefit of the lobby that is using him. He chooses soft targets like cricket players and attacks them which is causing grave harm to Indian cricket.

"He has complained against Sachin Tendulkar in past and now Virat Kohli! The question is, who will benefit if Tendulkar contributes in some capacity for Indian cricket, is it India or Pakistan? Our country and it's cricket will suffer with such type of complaints," Verma pointed.

"What is the motivation for him is anyone's guess! Only writing that one has no vested interest, no personal agenda and pure intent does not make one. If a person really means such things he doesn't need to write it in every email."

The Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) Secretary further said that if Gupta wants Indian cricket to succeed, he should much rather become an administrator and work for the betterment of the game.

"If he wants reforms, why doesn't he fight in democratic elections of MPCA and become an administrator and do some good for the game? And if no, then he should at once resign from being a member of state association and come on ground and fight," he said.

"I think the BCCI Ombudsman cum Ethics Officer should ask him for his source of information that he produces in each matter and then only admit the matter."

Citing CAG'a recent application in the SC, Verma said: "Recently the CAG has approached the Supreme Court to exit from BCCI, they have also referred to the long emails mentioning that complaints by several individuals often run into dozen of pages. If Gupta continues this way, one day Ombudsman and Ethics Officer will also get frustrated and leave BCCI, this will lead to destruction of Lodha reforms."

The IPL petitioner further praised the current office bearers and said that they have been trying to bring back BCCI's glory days and Gupta should let them work rather than humiliating them with such mails.

"The present BCCI office bearers like Sourav Ganguly, Jay Shah and Arun Dhumal are trying their level best to bring back the BCCI where it belonged, but instead of giving them an opportunity to work in interest of cricket Gupta only tries to humiliate them with emails and complaints.

"I am also surprised to see how MPCA has still let Gupta continue as life member of their Association. Don't they feel humiliated of the actions of their life member, i.e. Gupta? They should at once expel him from his membership in the interest of India cricket," he said.