While the International Cricket Council (ICC) has sent a letter to the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jagmohan Dalmiya regarding the current BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur bookie case, BCCI is unlikely to react to that letter.
Thakur was reportedly seen socialising with a bookie at a function in Chandigarh, two days after he was elected as the Secretary of the Board.
Karan Gilhotra, the bookie, is on ICC's latest database of Anti-Corruption list and Security Unit. A copy of the ICC's letter is with The Times of India and despite repeated efforts, Thakur was unavailable for any comments on this issue.
The letter also states that in 2014, director of the BCCI ACSU Ravi Sawani had written to all franchise managers urging them to take steps so that Gilhotra wasn't entertained by any of their squad members.
Reportedly, BCCI members are not paying any attention to the issue as the members of the current Working Committee of BCCI feels that ICC Chairman N Srinivasan is trying to deviate the all-important issue of devaluation of Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
"Everyone knows who runs the ICC. Since skeletons of N Srinivasan run administration are tumbling out of the closet, the former president is trying to malign Thakur's image. There was absolutely no discussion at the working committee meeting and informally we all agree that Srinivasan is behind all this," said a Working Committee member in an interview with PTI.
"Dalmiya and Thakur share a nice working relationship as they together ousted Srinivasan from his hot seat. Also we find it weird that just after CSK low price demerger was questioned, ICC came up with this letter," the source added.
A Srinivasan loyalist exclaimed that this is Srinivasan's way of "retaliating."
"Richardson is just a messenger. He only carried his boss's instructions. Obviously, the battle is far from over. The more attacking Anurag gets with Srinivasan, the more counterattacks will come his way," he added.
Meanwhile, Anurag Thakur reacted to the ICC's claims of his meeting with a bookie, writing an open letter to N Srinivasan.
"Dear Mr Srinivasan,
"The BCCI has received intimation from the ICC ostensibly under your direction that I should keep away from one Mr Karan Gilhotra who is a 'suspected bookie.' The intimation further states that the information is unverified. I have earlier been the joint secretary of the BCCI under your president-ship and I am now secretary, BCCI. I only wish that you had shared the list of 'unverified suspected bookies' with be and other colleagues so that we could identify such persons and keep away from them. I have known this person who has been active in the poilitical and cricketing activities in Punjab and adjacent states. I had no knowledge or any clue about his 'activities as a suspected bookie.'
"It is curious that intimation about my having known this 'suspected bookie' was brought to the ICC notice by your friend Mr Neeraj Gundhe. Mr Neeraj Gunde incidentally is circulating to the media in Delhi the details of documents against your critics in the BCCI. He operates on your behalf. A procured complaint and an ICC advisory based on 'unverified information' was issued at your behest on the eve of the BCCI working committee meeting. It was intended to be a counter offensive on your behalf, since you have not reconciled with my election as secretary, BCCI. I would request at least now share with me or other colleagues in BCCI the list of suspected bookies in India, so that we may keep away from them. You may also share this information with your family members, whose involvement in betting has been proved.
"Since the ICC advisory to me had been made in public, I would be making this letter to you public.
"With regards,
"Yours sincerely,
"Anurag Thakur."
