The Supreme Court on Monday granted relief to former Board of Control for Cricket in India President Anurag Thakur, exempting him from personally appearing in the court in a contempt case. The court’s decision came after Thakur offered an unconditional apology in connection with his initiation of a contempt proceedings case.

Thakur was accused of perjury in December last year for allegedly lying under oath and trying to obstruct its verdict on implementation of the RM Lodha panel reforms. The bench had said that Thakur can face time in jail if found guilty and added that only an apology could help him “escape”.

The court will take up the case again on April 17.

In a separate hearing, the top court asked the Delhi District Cricket Association to give an undertaking that it would follow and implement the recommendations of the apex court-appointed Justice RM Lodha Committee. Failing this, funds would not be released to the cricket board for its day-to-day activities. Last month, a meeting with the executive committee members of the board was held at the DDCA office. Nine of the 16 members who attended agreed to adopt the recommendations.