Now, a banker behind IPL Kochi team?

NEW DELHI: Does the Kochi franchisee have a big banker behind it? The wife of an influential official of Standard Chartered Bank, Sushen Jhingan, who is reputed to be close to big business tycoons, is also a stake holder in Rendezvous Sports. The lady, Puja Gulati (her maiden name), is also a director of Rendezvous.

Repeated attempts to contact Sushen Jhingan on his mobile phone failed. It's said he played a crucial role in clinching the deal for Kochi.

Jhingan works as a liaison officer (director, public affairs) in the bank. His contacts in the government are said to have helped him in bringing together the interested parties for the Kochi team.

Close associates of Jhingan claimed he wasn’t financing his wife. They said Puja comes from a "rich family and bought the stake with the money she inherited from her parents". She has claimed to the media that her stake is paid for, not free as suggested by Lalit Modi in his tweets.

Sources in the banking sector said that being a banker, Jhingan knows the tricks of bidding in an auction.