Conflict of Interest: Backed By CoA Chief Vinod Rai’s Note, Rahul Dravid Deposes Before BCCI Ethics Officer

Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association Life member Sanjeev Gupta had filed a conflict of interest complaint against Dravid.

Rahul Dravid, former India skipper and now the National Cricket Academy (NCA) head, on Thursday deposed before the BCCI Ethics Officer DK Jain to explain his position in the conflict of interest charge levelled against him by Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association Life member Sanjeev Gupta.

Gupta had stated that the former India skipper had taken up the NCA role without resigning from his position at India Cements. He further said that Dravid just took “Leave of Absence” from India Cements.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA), meanwhile, has been in Dravid’s corner.

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The CoA chief, Vinod Rai, a former CAG, gave a note to the Ethics Officer which cited two examples where a person’s leave of absence from an organisation is not seen in conflict with the current post of his employment.  Rai’s not also cited the example of former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan,

“The CoA chief had written a note before the deposition that they feel if Dravid has taken a Leave of Absence, then he is not in conflict. He cited examples of former RBI Governor Rajan, who took leave of absence from his teaching role at the University of Chicago,” a senior BCCI official, on conditions of anonymity, told PTI.

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“The CoA note also cites Arvind Panagariya’s example. The former Vice-Chairman of the NITI Aayog was on lien from Columbia University. In both cases, the gentlemen in question held very sensitive government positions and were not taking any remuneration from their previous employers.

“The CoA feels that if David has declared and is not taking remuneration from India Cements, he is not in conflict,” the official concluded.

While Rai gave Jain a note, it was the Ethics Officer’s prerogative to call Dravid for deposition. Dravid, it is expected, will be asked to resign from his position to come clear of the conflict of interest charge.