Shah Rukh Khan's Wankhede ban lifted by Mumbai Cricket Association

Three years after he was banned from entering one of India's premier cricket stadiums, Bollywood actor and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan will finally be able to enjoy the cricket matches at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on 2 August lifted the five-year ban on Shah Rukh, allowing the actor to enter the stadium premises. The decision was taken during the managing committee meeting of the MCA.

"Today, in the MCA meeting, it was decided that the ban imposed on IPL's Kolkata franchise owner Shah Rukh Khan should be lifted. With the prior approval of our President Sharad Pawar, it was proposed by me that the ban on him be lifted and the managing committee approved it unanimously. Therefore, the ban on his entry in the Wankhede Stadium has been revoked," MCA vice-president Ashish Shelar said.

The KKR co-owner was banned from entering Mumbai's iconic stadium in May 2012 after an alleged scuffle and heated altercation with a security guard and MCA officials following an IPL game that saw Kolkata getting the better of Mumbai Indians.

According to media reports, a group of MCA members wanted the ban to be lifted a couple of years earlier itself, since Shah Rukh had already served a substantial period of it (three years) 'respectfully' without trying to enter the stadium at any stage.

The Wankhede fiasco

The MCA managing committee, headed by the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, on 18 May 2012 issued a five-year ban on Shah Rukh Khan after he was involved in an altercation with the security staff and officials of the cricket body following Kolkata Knight Riders' victory over Mumbai Indians two nights earlier.

The trouble began on 16 May when Shah Rukh Khan co-owned Kolkata were playing against Mumbai at the Wankhede stadium. Shah Rukh did not attend the match but arrived at the stadium later to pick up his children and their friends.

According to the security guard Vikas Dalvi, SRK and his entourage were inside the players' dressing room when he asked them to leave as it was subjected only for the team members. The actor and his entourage then tried to walk onto the grounds of the stadium. And when he tried to stop them, a heated argument led to a scuffle on the field.

A police complaint was registered against the Bollywood superstar for voluntarily causing hurt and for intimidation. However, since it was a non-cognizable offence, SRK wasn't arrested. Shah Rukh Khan though, said that he was provoked after security guards touched a group of children he was accompanying, which included his daughter.

Full transcript of SRK's brawl with MCA officials

The full transcript of the conversation during the brawl between Shah Rukh Khan and Mumbai Cricket Association staff after the match between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders on May 16, 2012:

SRK: ...Do you want to arrest me? Arrest me and take me now.

Other side: Use your language properly.

SRK: You use your language properly.

Other side: Ok?

SRK: You use your language properly.

Someone shouts SRK's name, tries to pacify him.

Someone shouts: Le ke chal isse (take him away).

Someone says: Police ko bulao (Call the police)

SRK: Kaun tha woh jo dubara ... hai ***** ka **** (Who was that...?).

Someone shouts: Everybody out, everybody out.

Other side: Inko baat karne ki tameej nahi hai (He doesn't have the manners to talk properly).

SRK: Who's saying to take me away, I stay here.

Someone whispers to SRK.

SRK: Which officer?

SRK: Tell your official, wherever he's from... BCCI to tell him to shut the **** up, don't talk to me like that... wherever you are from, sir. Tell the ****** not to talk to me like that... see it is his fault...nobody will speak (shouting).

Someone says: Nobody will speak. C'mon take it easy.

SRK: Kya bola? Haath lagayenge? (What did you say, You will beat me?).

Someone: Laga ke batayun? (Shall I beat you up first?).

Someone: Jyada baat mat kar ae (Don't talk too much).

SRK: Arre tu beech main se hath naa. Door se ghar mein bolna, paas aake bol. (You, get out of here. Talk from afar at home. Come near me and say what you have to).

Someone: Ae bewada (You drunkard).

SRK: ...tu peeche se mat bolna... samne se aake bol ae peeli shirt ****... yahin gaad doonga **** (Don't talk to me from behind. Come in front of me, you yellow shirt. I will bury you here).

No appeal against BCCI's life ban on Ankeet Chavan

In the other decision, the MCA also decided not to challenge the BCCI-imposed life ban on tainted cricketer Ankeet Chavan, who was cleared of criminal charges by a Delhi court last month. Shelar said the MCA would not stand by a player found guilty under the BCCI's anti-corruption code.

"Ankeet Chavan, who has been cleared of MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) charges, requested us to convince BCCI to lift the ban on him. But the BCCI has already sent a mail to MCA clearing the factual position on this issue," Shelar said.

"The MCA has therefore decided that it would not challenge BCCI's action against Ankeet which was taken as per the disciplinary committee code and the anti-corruption code.

So, we have rejected his request. We unanimously decided that the action against such a player should continue because the court ruling is only on MCOCA. The player has not challenged the BCCI's ruling so how can we?" he added.