Dalmiya has 'chance meeting' with ICL top official
Kolkata, Aug. 26 (PTI): Indian Cricket League top official Himanshu Mody made a quiet visit to the city to inspect the possible grounds for hosting the multi-million dollar league triggering speculation that he held discussions with former BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya.
A close aide of Dalmiya categorically denied that the seasoned cricket administrator deliberated on matters concerning the League with Mody, but conceded that the two had a 'chance meeting' at the lobby of a five star hotel.
"Dalmiya had gone there with a business colleague for lunch. At the lobby he met Mody and the two exchanged pleasantries. And that was all," the aide said.
Dalmiya told PTI that the speculation rose when some TV channels' cameramen mistook the business colleague as Mody. "As I was coming out the TV camera men started taking our footage. Later on they realised the guest was not Mody but someone else."
Dalmiya said there was no bar on him to meet Mody. "Everybody knows of my relations with the present BCCI regime. So why should I try to keep under wraps if I did indeed discuss things with Mody."
He iterated that he was in no way associated with ICL but added "I don't know what will happen in future."
The founding of ICL has raised the hackles of BCCI, which has decided to stop all monetary benefits and other facilities to those players who have joined the league. It has also announced that the pension paid to retired cricketers who have joined ICL would be withdrawn.
Mody visited several grounds, including the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club as part of his search for venues for the league.
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