Azharuddin files counter in Hyderabad court

Former India cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, challenging the life ban imposed on him by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for his alleged involvement in the match-fixing scandal, on Monday filed a counter in a local court.

It was in response to fresh petitions filed earlier by BCCI president Dr A C Muthiah and the board's inquiry commissioner K Madhavan, seeking striking down of certain averments in the main petition filed by Azharuddin.

The second additional chief judge of the Hyderabad city civil court J Shyam Sunder Rao, while accepting the counter filed by Azharuddin's counsel M Narotham Reddy, posted the matter for hearing and arguments to October 3.

Muthiah and Madhavan, against whom Azharuddin levelled several charges in his 17-page main suit, in their petitions filed on September 20, said the charges against them were "baseless and sought these to be struck down".

The stylish Hyderabadi batsman questioned the very appointment of Muthiah as BCCI president apart from raising objections to the appointment of Madhavan as BCCI's inquiry commissioner and his method of inquiry.

Mail Cricket Editor