PANJIM: The FC Goa’s battery of lawyers spearheaded by Advocate Gautam Ankhand last week argued before the ISL Appeals Panel comprising of Justice Kshitij Vyas, former chief justice of the Bombay High Court, that as per the media reports he was on the Reliance payroll and worked as their consultant hence he should be recused from hearing the present appeal.
The ISL Regulatory Commission suspended FC Goa co-owners Dattaraj Salgaocar and Shrinivas Dempo for three and two years respectively for the boycott of the ISL prize distribution ceremony, while the franchise was docked a massive 15 points and fined Rs 11 crore, all decisions which the Goan franchise has appealed against.
Advocate Gautam at the onset said,” that having gone through the newspaper reports I find all the allegations totally baseless, misleading, false and therefore refute the same. The present proceedings are distinct in nature and not like the court proceedings.”
His very next statement turned the whole argument on its head when he claimed that he was never on payroll of the company.
“I was never on the payroll of the company, (Reliance). The company used to consult me like any other company with whom I have professional dealings as and when necessary. I see no substance in the allegations of conflict of interest based on media reports. Hence the same is rejected,” said advocate Gautam.
The paradoxical statements was completely self-contradictory.
The ISL Appeals Panel fixed the schedule of the proceedings, granting the ISL and Chennaiyin FC time to file their response to FC Goa’s appeal latest by June 11, 2016. Rejoinder, if any, will be filed by the Goan franchise on or before June 24, 2016.
“Arguments of the parties shall be heard on July 9 and July 10 between 10.30am to 5pm,” Justice Kshitij Vyas noted in his order.
FC Goa had lodged an appeal with the Appeals Commission describing the regulatory commission order as perverse, unlawful and in complete violation of principles of natural justice.
“The sanctions imposed on FC Goa are (not just) unprecedented in the world of football , but also shockingly disproportionate, punitive in nature, absolutely arbitrary and without any basis in law or fact,” FC Goa had earlier said in a statement.
