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Was Stracon just a big con?

While the CBI swings into action, under Joint Director R N Sawani, to investigate allegations of betting and match-fixing in Indian cricket, the establishment has been rocked by another controversy centering around no less than ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Allegation and denial has been the order of the last few days, and last heard from, Jagmohan Dalmiya was 'contemplating legal action' against his accuser.

There are two parts to the telecast scam. First, what is the agreement that now finds the 'needle of suspicion' pointed at it? And two, what is Jagmohan Dalmiya's supposed link to the deal?

As part of our ongoing examination of the controversy, we present in full two documents -- the first, the agreement arrived at between Prasar Bharti and Stracon India Pvt Ltd, for acquiring telecast rights of sports events in India (including the 1998 ICC knockout tournament in Dhaka).

The second is the opinion tendered by Kirit N Raval, Additional Solicitor General, Supreme Court, about the contents of this agreement.

Between them, these two documents cast light on the first question, and indicate that there were improprieties in the award of the telecast rights in question.

That leaves the question of whether, or no, the ICC president was involved in any way in the deal. A question we hope to continue probing, and come up with answers, soon.

The DD-Stracon deal

The Additional Solicitor General's opinion