Dalmiya's disciplinary hearing postponed

The Indian board (BCCI) has postponed the disciplinary committee's proceedings against Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former BCCI chief, who filed a suit in a Kolkata court challenging the legality of the summons.

Dalmiya was summoned to appear before the three-member committee this afternoon for his alleged failure to reply to show-cause notices pertaining to accounts of the 1996 World Cup.

"The communication sent by your [Dalmiya's] lawyer Mr Soumendra Nath Banerjee by fax was forwarded to the members of disciplinary committee. They have considered your request for adjourning the proceedings," Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said in a letter addressed to Dalmiya, a copy of which was made available to the media today. The letter said that the next date of hearing will be announced later.

"The Committee felt that only filing of a suit in the absence of any interim order is no ground to adjourn the matter," the letter said. "However to give you a fair opportunity in the matter in the interest of justice, the proceedings are adjourned. The next date of hearing will be communicated to you in due course."

Dalmiya had filed a suit yesterday before a Kolkata court challenging the legality of the BCCI's summons asking him to appear before the committee, headed by Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, alongwith Shashank Manohar and Chirayu Amin. In the suit, Dalmiya asked the court to issue an order to the board not to honour his suspension from attending board meetings as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).