‘Two years not enough for the brazen intimidation’ – Twitterati on Boria Majumdar ban

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has found journalist Boria Majumdar guilty in the complaint filed by cricketer Wriddhiman Saha, and subsequently banned him for two years. Saha had shared screenshots of an unnamed journalist attempting to intimidate him for denying an interview, and later revealed the perpetrator as Boria in the hearing before the inquiry committee.

The BCCI formed a three-person committee to probe the case, headed by the board’s Vice President Rajeev Shukla, Treasurer Arun Dhumal and Council Member Prabhtej Bhatia. According to the statement released by BCCI, the committee decided that the messages sent to Saha were “in the nature of threat and intimidation”. As a result of the ban, Boria will no longer receive accreditation as a member of press in India. Neither will he be allowed interviews with any players in India, not will he receive access to any association cricket facilities owned by BCCI members.

Boria Majumdar receives two-year ban, no longer allowed interviews with registered cricketers

The committee was formed to probe “the matter of Wriddhiman Saha receiving threats and intimidation from a senior journalist”. This was after the 37-year-old wicketkeeper posted a Tweet on February 19 that captured a screenshot of Boria’s messages that said, “You did not call. Never again will I interview you. I don’t take insults kindly. And I will remember this.” Saha’s caption read, “After all of my contributions to Indian cricket..this is what I face from a so called “Respected” journalist! This is where the journalism has gone.”

Earlier, Boria had refuted all claims of the undertone of intimidation in his messages to Saha. He told the Indian Express, “I’m filing a defamation case on Wriddhiman Saha. He has doctored, tampered and manipulated screenshots. Earlier today, I have sent the BCCI all the details and I have emailed everybody in the BCCI the entire sequence of events. I have also tweeted my side of the story.”

Many social media users came out in support of Wriddhiman Saha, and plenty had a favourable reaction to the ban imposed on Boria.

Saha after knowing BCCI banned boria majumbar for 2 years… #IPL2022 #BoriaMajumdar pic.twitter.com/y4iIKEnfuF

— Bella Ciao (Chai) (@punjabiii_munda) May 4, 2022

Well done @BCCI! Why 2 years? Extend it to 5 years. He is a shame to our sports journalism. Boria has high attitude and this man has no respect for players. He behaves like he is the journalist from BBC or world media. A tight slap to him and his third class behaviour. https://t.co/xSe3KtlrKO

— CHARLIE (@CharlieGulshan) May 4, 2022

I demand lifetime ban for Boria.

— Prithvi (@Puneite_) May 4, 2022

2 years is a very small tenure honestly. The sort of intimidation put forward by Boria was honestly very brazen. https://t.co/k86eQcJvCx

— श्रीहर्ष । Shriharsh Verma। شری ہرش ورما 🇮🇳 (@shriharshism) May 4, 2022

Although I don't believe Ganguly will remain BCCI chairman beyond this term, but even if he remains, Boria's ban has now totally broken his nexus of journalists.

Nobody will follow his orders blindly now because they know he ain't saving them.

— IPL 2022 (@iplthebest) May 4, 2022

KSR tells me Boria should be banned if there was intimidation. Says journalist should not cross the line. Also says Mufa for Johns. https://t.co/XrPXguFEgw

— Jitendra 🎶 (@Jitendr63761289) May 4, 2022