HC refuses to grant injunction on BCCI contract

The Bombay High Court on Friday refused to stay the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to award the International Management Group-TransWorld International combine the Indian team's clothing sponsorship rights for international matches to be played in India or outside during the next three years, from July 1.

The ad interim order was delivered by Justice D K Deshmukh, who heard an application filed by Gayatri Arts, a Bombay-based company, which had sought an injunction on the Board of Control for Cricket in India entering into a contract with the IMG-TWI combine or any other group.

The application filed by Shyam Dhumatkar, proprietor of Gayatri Arts, claimed that the three-year contract had been awarded to his company, which had made the highest bid of Rs 900 million through a legal tender advertised by the BCCI in a newspaper.

Gayatri Arts further claimed that the BCCI, in a letter on May 3, had confirmed the contract and given the company 48 hours to accept the offer, which it did in a letter to the board.

On May 22, however, the BCCI's marketing committee held a second meeting in New Delhi, where the contract awarded to Gayatri Arts was rescinded and awarded to the IMG-TWI combine after an open bid and revelation of prices.

The BCCI on Friday claimed that its communication with Gayatri Arts was not a confirmation letter of the contract, but a mere "query".

Dhumatkar's counsel Ashok Paranjpe said he would be challenging the ad interim order.

Mail Cricket Editor