Suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi called an investigation into him a “witch hunt” ahead of a second hearing of an inquiry set up by the country's cricket board. Modi, 46, said he was unwilling to co-operate with the board's current disciplinary panel because it was biased against him. The panel is probing allegations of corruption, indiscipline and money-laundering around the hugely successful Twenty20 IPL tournament. “All perceptions of witch hunt must end. Independent, unbiased inquiry a must,” Modi wrote on his Twitter account late Monday. Modi, who had skipped the previous hearing of the panel in Mumbai on July 16, was not expected to appear at the second session Tuesday. “If this is not a witch hunt, what is! I have always done what's the best for the IPL. It has put India on the global sports map. Am proud of achievement. “Have always agreed to cooperate provided there is no witch hunt. Those concerned should be guardians of justice and the sport,” he wrote. Modi says two members of the panel – lawyer-politician Arun Jaitley and businessman Chirayu Amin – are biased. He failed with a legal challenge to stay the proceedings. The panel has until Oct. 25 to decide whether action should be taken against Modi, which could include his permanent expulsion from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Modi's troubles began in April when he revealed the ownership details of a new franchise set to join the tournament in 2011. He embarrassed a high-profile member of the government, junior foreign minister Shashi Tharoor, by leaking how Tharoor's girlfriend had been given a free stake in a new team. Mushtaq backs campaign Former Pakistan international turned England spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed is among a group of cricketers who have lent their support to the “Not In My Game” anti-terror campaign. The aim is to encourage cricket fans around the world to make clear that incidents such as the one which saw the Sri Lanka team bus fired upon in Lahore in March last year, killing eight people and injuring seven Sri Lankan players and staff, have no place in sport. That attack led to the effective suspension of international cricket in Pakistan and saw a ‘home' series against Australia, which Pakistan ended with a three-wicket second Test win at Headingley last week, being played in England. “Playing cricket has always been one of the most important things in my life,” Ahmed said in a statement issued Tuesday. “This passion for the game is shared by millions of cricket fans at home and across the globe: a love of cricket unites us all, irrespective of where we're from and whom we support,” the former leg-spinner, who also starred for Sussex in English county cricket, added. Paul Farbrace, the then Sri Lanka assistant coach who was injured in the Lahore attacks, said: “Having witnessed the attacks first hand and seen the shockwaves felt throughout the world, I am convinced of the need to gather international support in opposing acts of terror targeted at sport.” The former Kent and Middlesex wicketkeeper added: “The Not In My Game campaign is all about pulling people from all communities together to send a clear message that we will not tolerate terrorism and I urge everyone to go online now and sign the pledge at www.notinmygame.com.”
