Shashank Manohar promises BCCI ombudsman complete investigative power

Justice AP Shah was appointed as BCCI's first-ever ombudsman last month.

New Delhi: Continuing with his promise the clean up Indian cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar has promised complete investigative power to its ombudsman.

According to a report in the Hindu, Justice AP Shah, who was appointed as the BCCI's ombudsman, will have complete freedom and authority like any other judicial body. He will deal with conflict of interest and charges of misconduct against board administrators.

"Even with regard to the administrator, the enquiry (should there be complaints of indiscipline, misconduct against him) would be conducted by the ombudsman," Manohar told the Hindu.

However, to punish an administrator, the ombudsman would be required to submit his report to the board, as an intermediary cannot remove a board member.

"He will submit his report. Because the administrator is a board member, he cannot be removed by the ombudsman. So the Board has to take a call and I don't think when the ombudsman gives a report holding a person guilty, the board would say that 'No, no, he's not guilty.' He will have the last word in conflict of interest issues, but with regard to the administrator, he will submit a report."

The 67-year old Shah is a former Chief Justice of Delhi and Madras High courts. He was appointed as the first-ever ombudsman last month.