KL Rahul deposes before BCCI Ombudsman on 'Koffee' controversy

There are speculations that the Ombudsman would submit his findings in time before the Indian team's World Cup selection meet on April 15.

India batsman, K.L. Rahul, deposed before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Ombudsman, Justice (retd.) D.K. Jain, on Wednesday, responding to notice issued to him for his comments on the show,  Koffee with Karan , earlier this year.

Rahul, who plays for Kings XI Punjab, is in the city for an Indian Premier League fixture against Mumbai Indians and he met the ombudsman at the team hotel in the morning to explain his side of the story.

On Tuesday, Hardik Pandya had also deposed before Jain at the Mumbai Indians team hotel.

“I met both Hardik and Rahul. I have heard their versions,” Justice Jain told  Sportstar .

There are speculations that the Ombudsman would submit his findings in time before the Indian team's World Cup selection meet on April 15. However, Jain made it clear that he will submit his reported to the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) in due course of time.

READ: KL Rahul: ‘I couldn’t help but doubt my own character’

“The report will come in due course and you will come to know about it,” Jain said.

Koffee with Karan’ s controversial episode featuring the two Indian cricketers was aired in the first week of January, triggering outrage. It prompted the CoA to call the duo back from the tour of Australia and handed them provisional suspensions. Pandya and Rahul then tendered unconditional apologies and their ban was provisionally lifted pending inquiry.

Once Jain assumed his role, the CoA handed over the matter to him for the completion of inquiry.

No decision yet on Sourav Ganguly

The Ombudsman has also received complaints of conflict of interest against Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly over his role with Delhi Capitals.

There were reports that Justice Jain could hear out the former India captain in person before taking a final decision on the matter. But Jain told this publication that he hasn’t decided anything yet.

“I have not yet decided. I have got his response. I will decide on the future course of action once I go through his response,” Jain said.

READ: 'No bar on sitting in Delhi Capitals dugout'

Will Ganguly be allowed to sit in the IPL team Delhi Capitals’ dug-out in the fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on April 12?

“It’s a matter of sub-judice and I can’t say anything about it,” the Ombudsman said.

Three Kolkata-based fans — Bhaswati Santua, Ranjit Seal and Abhijeet Mukherjee — in a letter to BCCI Ombudsman-cum-Ethics-Officer D.K. Jain, alleged that the former India skipper’s dual role is a case of Conflict of Interest.

However, Ganguly, in his written reply to the Ombudsman’s notice, has categorically denied the charge.