The ongoing controversy about the ownership of the Kochi franchisee of the Indian Premier League (IPL) took a nasty turn on Wednesday, with the aides of minister of state for foreign affairs Shashi Tharoor alleging that he got a death threat through a mobile text message following which his security was tightened.
Meanwhile, IPL commissioner Lalit Modi was unfazed by the allegations made by Tharoor?s camp about the ownership pattern of other IPL teams. In a press conference in Mumbai today, Modi said: ?As for all earlier franchisees, we know who the owners are. They come, they attend conferences and meetings but as far as Kochi IPL team is concerned, there was a question mark. Even those who presented the bid documents do not know who they (owners) are.?
Modi?s offensive has put Tharoor in a spot. Congress president Sonia Gandhi held meetings with foreign affairs minister SM Krishna and party spokesperons Rajiv Shukla yesterday to, reportedly, get an update on the issue. Krishna and Shukla, however, denied that the issue was discussed in their meetings. Meanwhile, the Congress has distanced itself from Tharoor, saying it is for him to explain his position in the controversy.
Meanwhile, lashing out at the media, Pushkar said the media is ?obsessively? focussing on her personal life. ?My own business interests and assets are substantial, and efforts to besmirch Tharoor by presenting me as a proxy for him are personally insulting for me as a woman and as a friend,? Pushkar told media.
Modi, on the microblogging website Twitter disclosed on Sunday that Pushkar, along with some other investors, was given free equity in the Kochi franchisee. Pushkar, as has been reported in the media, is a close friend of Tharoor, who has been introducing her in the social circles as his ?fianc?e.? Pushkar has been given 19% share in the 25% free equity owned by Rendezvous Sports World, the company that led the Kochi franchise.
Launching a fresh attack against Tharoor, Modi today said there was a question mark over the ownership of IPL Kochi franchise and they would deal with it in the next IPL governing council meeting. The IPL governing council is expected to meet shortly after April 25 to discuss the matter. Calling it a ?small issue, nevertheless an issue? Modi said, ?We will deal with it.?