BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia sparked a wave of online outrage earlier this month after using the phrase “honey-trap” during a media appearance in Mullanpur. Within minutes of his remarks, online chatter took off and some fans turned to social media to target cricketers’ partners, escalating the situation beyond the initial comments. In response, Saikia urged franchise teams to stay alert and watchful for any misconduct during the IPL campaign. The BCCI also circulated a directive, expressing concern that breaches of protocol may have taken place.
In his message to the chiefs of the 10 franchises, Saikia stated that the BCCI had been made aware of “incidents of misconduct and protocol violation” involving players, support staff, and team personnel during the ongoing IPL season. He added that if these matters were not dealt with, they could lead to serious reputational damage for the tournament, the relevant franchise, and the BCCI as the sport’s governing body. Saikia further noted that unresolved conduct could also leave individuals and franchises exposed to legal consequences and other security-related risks of a serious nature.
IPL governing council chief denies “honey-trapping” concerns
While the BCCI’s warning drew attention, IPL governing council chairman Arun Dhumal moved to clarify the league’s position. Dhumal said that, to his knowledge, there were no “honey-trapping” issues in this IPL edition. Speaking to Times of India, he stressed that the tournament had been conducted in a “clean” manner.
“There has been no issue as such with regard to honey-trapping or things like that, to my knowledge. This is a very clean tournament,” Dhumal said.
Dhumal, however, acknowledged that there had been other problems during the season. He pointed to the Riyan Parag vaping incident as an example of an episode that could have been avoided. Apart from that, he did not believe any comparable matter had come up.
“Yes, there have been some issues. For example, the Riyan Parag [vaping] incident, which we could have avoided. Barring that, I don’t think there was any such incident,” he added.
Asked about Saikia’s remark, Dhumal says he’s unaware of details
When questioned about Saikia’s specific reference to honey trapping, Dhumal said he was not in possession of any relevant information and suggested that Saikia would be the appropriate person to comment. He also emphasized that, in his understanding, nothing of that kind had occurred in the current season. He added that he had not heard the secretary’s exact statement and therefore did not want to comment on it.
Dhumal said, “I am not privy to any such information either. He would be the best person to comment on that. But nothing of the sort has happened in this edition, as far as my understanding and knowledge go. I haven’t heard his comment, so I would not want to comment on that.”
Dhumal praises IPL 2026 season as “phenomenal”
Dhumal also used the opportunity to praise the IPL 2026 campaign, calling it “phenomenal.” He highlighted the uncertainty that has typically defined the competition, noting that until the final day of the league stage, it was not clear which team would secure fourth place and progress. He said that the overall level of cricket has been exceptional.
“It’s been a phenomenal season this year. Like all the previous editions, till the last day of the league stage we did not know which would be the fourth team to qualify. That is the excitement around the IPL every season. The quality of games that we have had so far has been phenomenal,” Dhumal said.
With the season progressing, IPL fans are also tracking the race for major individual awards, including the Orange Cap and the Purple Cap, while staying updated with live scores and the latest developments from across the league.
