What next for IPL?

The head of India's USD 4 billion cricket league was suspended from his post on Monday following graft allegations in a growing scandal that has ensnared politicians and strained the ruling coalition.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has appointed an interim chief and has said it will cooperate with tax authorities probing the three-year-old Indian Premier League (IPL).

Here are some questions and answers about the future of Modi and the league, the game's most lucrative tournament.

What steps has the BCCI taken?

The BCCI suspended Modi minutes after the final of the third edition of the tournament on Sunday, pending inquiry.

Modi has 15 days to respond to the board's questions on various activities of the IPL, BCCI president Shashank Manohar told reporters.

The board will drop its probe if Modi convinced them of his innocence, Manohar said.

BCCI has appointed board member Chirayu Amin as interim president of the IPL and asked the board's secretary Ratnakar Shetty to look into all the records of the IPL, many of which are missing from the office, Manohar said.

The BCCI was "fully cooperating" with the government, Amin told NDTV news channel on Tuesday.

What are the charges?

The BCCI is looking into allegations related to initial bids for two of the franchises, charges of rigging of bids this year for two new IPL franchises, broadcast deals, and the "behavioural pattern of Lalit Modi", Manohar said.

IPL has a telecast deal with Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd (MSM) backed by Sony Entertainment Television, and a broadcast deal with Google's YouTube, Shetty said.

The BCCI is handing over all documents pertaining to these and other deals to tax officials, Shetty said.

"MSM strongly refutes all unsubstantiated allegations of any impropriety in this matter as incorrect and inaccurate," a statement from the company said.

"We have not been contacted by any investigating authorities with regard to our agreement", a spokesman for Google said.

The Income Tax department, in a statement, said it was "investigating only the taxation aspects of transactions relating to the (IPL)".

Ajay’s role play

Ajay Gehi, who plays Vibhishan in Mani Ratnam’s Raavan, almost went unnoticed during the film’s music release last Saturday.

Ajay looked so different from the way he looks in Raavan that co-actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Bachchan, and even director Mani Ratnam, failed to recognise him. Blame it on the fact that Ajay looked completely different from his bald and moustachio avatar in Raavan.

The entire cast and crew walked up to the stage on Aishwarya’s request. But when Ajay walked up and greeted Mani Ratnam, the director completely cold shouldered him as he didn’t recognise him. When Ajay introduced himself to Mani, the latter could not believe his eyes.

Ajay was in for some more embarrassment when he greeted Abhishek who also failed to recognise his on-screen brother.

Ajay confirms and says, “Yes, it was very surprising. Mani sir didn’t recognise me at all and when I told him it was indeed me, he asked me about my missing moustache. Abhishek too hugged me on stage when I told him it was me. It's nice to be recognised as my character but I hope that I don't go unnoticed.”

‘Shoaib wants Rs 35 m for coverage’, but no buyers

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik reportedly demanded a whopping Rs 35 million from TV channels for coverage rights to his reception in his hometown Sialkot on Sunday and the April 27 ‘walima’ in Lahore.

Shoaib had asked his private security guards to keep the media away from both ceremonies as none of the TV news channels agreed to cough up the huge amount demanded by him, Dunya news channel reported.

The channel claimed it got an invitation card for the ‘walima’ to be hosted by Shoaib in Lahore’s Pearl Continental Hotel by paying Rs 10,000 to a relative of the cricketer.

In Lahore, Pearl Continental Hotel management has asked journalists to leave the premises. Dozens of reporters, especially those from TV news channels, have been thronging the hotel since the couple arrived there two days ago. “The hotel administration took the step on behalf of Shoaib,” claimed journalist Hina Farooq.

Shaoib has already requested the government of Punjab province to provide the couple and his guests from India “foolproof” security. Shoaib and his brother-in-law Imran Zafar criticised the media after Sania and her mother Nasima Mirza were jostled and pushed by an unruly crowd after reaching the Pearl Continental, an incident that “brought tears to Sania’s eyes”. “Please spare us,” both Shoaib and Zafar requested the media.

“For God’s sake, leave us alone. You are trying to fix cameras in our rooms,” an angry Zafar shouted at the media.

Before leaving for Sialkot, Shoaib, Sania and her parents and relatives visited the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajvary Data Ganj Bakhsh and offered prayers.