The Indian Cricket Board, BCCI, has slapped IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala with a suspension notice for non-payment of dues. Top board officials told AIR that the decision was taken in the board’s Annual General Meeting after the franchise was unable to pay its bank guarantee in the stipulated time. The consortium, which was caught in a bitter ownership dispute after its very inception, defaulted on a payment of 156 crore rupees which it had to make as bank guarantee.

The franchise, which was bought for one thousand and five hundred fifty crore rupees is supposed to make the yearly payment for the next 10 years. The team made its debut only last year and was among the laggards in the league.