Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) If Lalit Modi steps down as Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner, then one of the franchise owners should be appointed to the post, Deccan Chargers owner Venkatram Reddy said Wednesday.
Reddy pointed out that it is the franchise money that is running the tournament.

“At the end of day, it is about franchise money. Let one of the franchise owners become commissioner and someone from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) be made the joint commissioner and both of them run accordingly.

“I don’t know but somebody should step in,” Reddy told a television channel.

Meanwhile, franchise owners continued their support for the beleaguered Modi. After Vijay Mallya and Subrata Roy, it was Shilpa Shetty’s turn to speak out for Modi.

Shetty, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, said the IPL case had been “over-politicised”.

“I don’t want to be rude or curt, I just want to say that it is an IT probe and not a media probe. I think things have been over-politicised,” Shilpa told reporters.

“I know that’s a word we too conveniently use to get out of a situation, but it is true in this case and in the current scenario,” she said.

“I would also like to say that till you are proven guilty, you are not guilty. You have to appreciate the fact that IPL has brought lots of name and revenue to this country. And I think Lalit Modi has done a great job. If there is something murky and there is proof, then let the law take its course,” Shilpa said.