Jagmohan Dalmiya charged in funds case

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Former International Cricket Council president Jagmohan Dalmiya was formally charged by police on Wednesday with allegedly misappropriating funds during the 1996 World Cup.

Dalmiya was chief organiser of the tournament jointly staged by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and has been accused of misappropriating around 29 million rupees ($0.72 million).

The 67-year-old, who is also a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was briefly arrested before being granted bail by a Mumbai court.

The case is based on a complaint filed two years ago by a rival group after it took over the running of the Indian board.

"This is a political vendetta...everyone knows at whose behest the investigation is being carried out," Dalmiya's lawyer Satish Maneshinde told reporters.

Dalmiya's group was ousted from power by president Sharad Pawar's camp in a bitterly-fought election in 2005.