ED records Srinivasan's statement in case against Lalit Modi

Mumbai, Jul 2: The Enforcement Directorate here today recorded the statement of former BCCI president N Shrinivasan in connection with the money laundering case registered against ex-IPL boss Lalit Modi.

"Srinivasan appeared before us today and we recorded his statement for close to three hours," said an ED official.

The case relates to a 2008 deal between World Sports Group (WSG) and Multi Screen Media (MSM) for television rights of IPL worth Rs 425 crore.

BCCI filed an FIR in Chennai in 2010 under various provisions of the IPC while two years later the ED registered a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act in the matter.

"We have recorded Srinivasan's statement as he had filed the police complaint on behalf of BCCI," the official said. In 2008, the BCCI awarded 10-year media rights to WSG for USD 918 million.

In the same year, WSG entered into a deal with MSM to make Sony the official broadcaster. The contract was replaced a year later with a nine-year deal where MSM paid USD 1.63 billion.

The ED started probe in 2009 under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to investigate allegations that payment of Rs 425 crore facilitation fees by MSM Singapore to WSG Mauritius was made in an illegal way.

The payments were made to "unauthorized beneficiaries" and not the cricketing regulating bodies as per the terms of the contract, ED says.

PTI