myPL >> whyPL >>> IPL - The GENESIS of the NEMESIS!!!!!

Dear Chums

Now that the IPLGate and the IPL have come to an end, more skeletons are tumbling out of the BCCI cupboards like some B grade Ramsay movie of the yore; it is time to reflect, reconstitute, and revisit the biggest sporting scam to hit the world.

To go to the genesis of this nemesis, we rewind back to 2005.

There is a lot of hue and cry about the secrecy pacts of the Privately Held Swiss Banks. Insinuations of blood money, Nazi loots being deposited there and interests on the same are used for unscrupulous activities.

Swiss banks are at sea now. They cannot break their centuries old rules but are also being forced to become more transparent. A consortium (this word is splashing all over nowadays, I had never heard this word for all my life till now) of bankers decided what the world is doing. Look for newer markets. What better option than India? A developing 3rd world country with many 1st world developed citizenry!!!

Swiss bank consortium came up with a scheme to get some super rich Indians to become their customers.
Invest 500 million USD over the next 5 years and get an additional 3 percent interest over and above the normal interest rates.

By nature, the Swiss banks are low profile entities. They did not approach the obviously rich industrialists or film stars. Their research showed them that cricket was the most lucrative business after politics in India.
Politicians by themselves would not be eligible for this scheme but politicians plus cricket authorities combined could be a potent combination.
With that in mind- they approached some senior BCCI members (many of them who happened to be politicians as well). Presented their proposal and waited in anticipation.

Now, this is what happened in BCCI quarters-
Sharad Pawar, Lalit Modi, Shashank Manohar, Niranjan Shah and Rajeev Shukla met to decide on how to further this proposal.
Sharad Pawar – I already have two accounts in these banks. I will be part of this scheme only if they give me something more; else I am not interested.
Lalit Modi – We all need to be in that elite list. Let s not squabble but decide on how best to raise this kind of money through semi official means. I have an idea.
We will start off something that Kapil Dev has started but does not know how to run. Pawarjee, please ensure that ICL is scrapped and does not get any mileage. I will start something on similar lines but much bigger and with lots of glitz and glamour.
Rajeev Shukla – That’s a great idea!!!! I know many film stars who will agree to what we want them to do.
Lalit Modi – Great!!! Let s call this IPL on the lines of EPL.
We shall start the auction process. We inflate all the costs right from day zero so that the money on paper will show millions coming in as auction money.

Niranjan Shah – Modi Bhai, where will these movie stars get such kind of money that we need?
Lalit Modi – No worries, we will get some industrialists also into this fray. They will pump in all their unwanted money as their own private stakes and for the film stars’ teams- we will just add a couple of zeros in our accounts on what they pay us. Based on these figures, we will demand advertisers a piece of their meat in terms of ad seconds. Merchandizing, parties, media coverage… all will fall in to rake in the requisite moolah.
Sharad Pawar – Modi- you should take over the finances of my vast empire!!! What a brilliant idea!!!
Niranjan Shah (the ever pessimistic bloke)- All this is fine. I am in. What if this thing gets caught?
Lalit Modi – What rubbish!!! This is not a life long plan but a five year investment vehicle. We just need the money to put in the bank so that the rest of our lives will be easy. Of course, this will blow up someday or the other. We will plan for that eventuality as well. Pawarji, you would know best on how to resolve this part!!!
Sharad Pawar – It is very simple. These things always happen in politics. The simple solution is- one of us will have to become a scapegoat. Rest of us will dissociate with that person. We will hold some cursory investigations and come out with a report that nobody will understand and we will just delay and delay and delay…
Rajeev Shukla – Till when Pawarji!!!!
Sharad Pawar – Till we come up with an idea of doing something new.
Lalit Modi – Wow!!! What about football after cricket. We will bring football into India.
Niranjan Shah – That’s an apt choice that you have made. You always put your foot in your mouth … so it s very logical.
Sharad Pawar – Who is willing to become the scapegoat?
All look at each other.. Nobody wanting to be the first..
Lalit Modi (after some deliberations) – I am willing but I need some engineering colleges and around 100 odd petrol pump stations.
Sharad Pawar – DONE!!!!! So we have a deal now!!!
Lalit Modi – I have one query. Will anybody put their trust in us for our next endeavour after the IPL scam that will happen in some years?
Rajeev Shukla – Why not!!! We will be very transparent and open about our intentions and plans from day one.
Lalit Modi – Pray tell me how is that going to happen?
Rajeev Shukla – We shall call our football venture as Global Association for Football League Admirers.
Lalit Modi – I still did not get it.
Rajeev Shukla – Arre baba – Global Association for Football League Admirers – GAFLA. Who will complain when we are open about our (ig)noble intentions from day zero!!!!

If you are wondering why Shashank Manohar kept quite throughout the proceedings .... that s because he was given the job of doing all the talking now !!!

Sriky