The Supreme Court on Monday accused the Board of Control of Cricket (BCCI) of killing the game and said that the game must be played in its true spirit and should remain a gentleman's game.

The court said, "If you allow these things to happen, then you are killing the game of cricket."

"Cricket must be played in its true spirit and should remain a gentleman's game. Benefit of doubt should go in favour of game rather than any individual."

Taking on N Srinivasan, who was moved court seeking his reinstatement as president of BCCI, the apex court said, "You will have to address question of conflict of interest as head of BCCI and also as owner of IPL team, whose official is found to be involved in betting: SC tells Srinivasan."

However, BCCI told the court that they take the findings of Justice Mudgal Committee's report as gospel truth.

President-in-exile N Srinivasan on Friday had urged Supreme Court to reinstate him as BCCI President.

On November 17, N Srinivasan was indicted by a probe committee for not acting against an unnamed cricketer accused of misconduct while his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra were found guilty of betting that could leave their teams CSK and RR in trouble.

While giving its findings on Srinivasan, the panel had said "this individual is not involved with match fixing activity. This individual was not found to be involved in scuttling the investigations into match fixing."

The BCCI has also stood behind N Srinivasan in the wake of the Mudgal Committee clearing him of betting and match fixing allegations while backing IPL COO Sundar Raman in his legal battle in the Supreme Court.

BCCI had said the charges against Srinivasan were aimed at destabilising the Board. Srinivasan is currently also the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Also, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Jagmohan Dalmiya has extended East Zone's support to the embattled BCCI President, who is seeking a third term as the Board chief, by signing the nomination papers for the December 17 elections.