BCCI ombudsman DK Jain doubles up as ethics officer

New Delhi, March 28 (CRICKETNMORE): Supreme Court-appointed BCCI ombudsman retired Justice D.K. Jain will now double up as the ethics officer of the Indian cricket board. It comes after the Committee of Administrators (CoA) requested the apex court to appoint an ethics officer who would look into matters of conflict of interest.

The CoA had on March 12 addressed an email to Jain, requesting him to consider if he would be willing to assume the role and discharge the functions of the BCCI ethics officer, in addition to his role as the BCCI ombudsman -- as a pro tem measure till such time that an ethics officer is appointed.

In response, the ombudsman in his letter dated March 21 gave his consent.

With a view to ensure that the measures for avoidance of conflict of interest are implemented immediately and complaints/references relating to conflict of interest can be considered and addressed, the CoA took the step.

"The Ld. Ombudsman of the BCCI, the Hon'ble Justice D.K. Jain (retd.), shall discharge the functions of the BCCI Ethics Officer, in addition to his role as the BCCI Ombudsman, as an ad hoc arrangement till such time that an Ethics Officer is appointed," the CoA said in its latest status report.

The ombudsman is already handling the Hardik Pandya-K.L. Rahul matter wherein the two had made inappropriate comments during a chat show and were suspended pending enquiry. While the suspension was removed as there was no ombudsman to look into the matter, Jain has now been handed responsibility to decide the way forward.