Farooq says he is neither Modi's saviour nor hangman

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) A day after appearing to come to
Lalit Modi's rescue, Indian Union Minister Farooq Abdullah
on Wednesday said he is not the 'saviour' or the hangman of
the embattled IPL Commissioner.

Abdullah, who is the president of the Jammu and Kashmir
Cricket Association and also an IPL Governing Council member,
maintained that he merely wants the facts of the controversy
in the Indian Premier League to come out first.
"How do you say Farooq Abdullah is his (Modi's) saviour
or hanger? Everybody is saying that Farooq Abdullah is a
saviour and Sharad Pawar has turned this way or that way.
Let the facts come out first. Government has already
acted and we are trying to find out," the former J and K chief
minister said.
Abdullah said the inquiry will show who all are involved
in the alleged corruption in the cash-rich league.
"Shashi Tharoor has also sought an inquiry to clear his
name. Once facts are clear, we will know what decisions are to
be taken," he said.
Asked whether some of the IPL teams want Modi to stay,
he said, "Whatever I have heard on this is from press reports.
Until unless we hear it from them, there is no point in Farooq
Abdullah making a comment."
Abdullah yesterday appeared to come to the rescue of Modi
in the escalating IPL row saying the commissioner of the
tournament should be given a chance to reply to the charges
made against him in the controversy.
"Let us not become judges without hearing the poor man.
If there is a charge against him, let him reply to them," he
had said when asked if Modi should resign from his post in
wake of the alleged murky financial dealings in IPL.
The beleaguered IPL boss is facing the axe after
apparently having lost the backing of BCCI heavyweight and
Union minister Sharad Pawar and may be out as IPL commissioner
when the Governing Council meets in Mumbai on April 26. PTI
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