IPL 3: KXIP issued summons over 2008 Service Tax

Zeecric Bureau

New Delhi: Kings XI Punjab outfit has been served with a notice over Service Tax evasion over their in the 2008 season by the Excise Department. They have been asked to cough-up Rs Five Crore by the authorities. This comes after the team is in talks of selling its current stake in the Indian Premier League to the highest bidder owing to the disinterest shown by Ness Wadia and the group of directors to run it for a longer tenure after the three year deal with the BCCI gets over after the conclusion of this season. In the meanwhile, amid fast-moving developments in the controversy surrounding the Kochi IPL franchise, the BCCI decided to put off its Working Committee meeting which was scheduled on Saturday. Confirming the postponement, BCCI sources indicated that the IPL Governing Council meeting is expected to be convened before the Working Committee meeting to discuss threadbare all the issues on hand, including the much-talked-about Kochi franchisee bought by a consortium Rendezvous Sports World Limited.According to indications the IPL Governing Council meeting will take place only after the conclusion of the 45-day tournament on April 25. The IPL Governing Council meeting is expected to be a stormy one in which the powers of the high-flying chairman Lalit Modi could be curtailed in the wake of his public spat with union minister Shashi Tharoor over the Kochi franchise ownership.Meanwhile, the Income Tax authorities have issued summons to the BCCI to furnish complete details of all eight original Indian Premier League franchisees, who were successful bidders for the city-based teams in January 2008, on April 23.