Mumbai – In a major legal blow to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Bombay High Court has upheld an arbitral tribunal’s award directing the board to pay ₹538 crore in compensation to former IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala. The court rejected BCCI’s appeal, reaffirming the tribunal’s verdict and reinforcing the franchise’s long-standing claim for justice.
Delivering the verdict, Justice R.I. Chagla emphasized that the court’s powers under Section 34 of the Arbitration Act are strictly limited, and that BCCI’s attempt to challenge the merits of the arbitration ruling was outside its legal scope.
The dispute traces back to 2011, when the BCCI terminated Kochi Tuskers Kerala’s contract, citing breach of agreement after just one season in the IPL. Kochi’s demand for compensation and reinstatement was dismissed by the board, prompting the franchise to seek legal redress through arbitration.
This ruling marks yet another setback for BCCI, which has faced multiple legal defeats in this case over the years. The tribunal had already ruled in Kochi’s favor, but the board challenged it—only to be turned down again.
The controversy originated under then BCCI President Shashank Manohar, who allegedly overruled objections from several board members to expel Kochi Tuskers from the league. The conflict escalated when BCCI unilaterally encashed a ₹156 crore bank guarantee given by the franchise during its IPL entry.
Kochi was asked to submit a fresh guarantee within six months, but the team refused, alleging unfair treatment. The franchise was ultimately terminated in September 2011 for alleged breach of contract.
With the Bombay High Court’s latest verdict, Kochi Tuskers Kerala secures a significant moral and financial victory—reviving debate over how the franchise was forced out of India’s premier cricket tournament.
