Obviously, the decision came as a bolt from the blue as Azhar and his battery of lawyers were confident that the decision would go in his favour. This, especially when the previous judge, Patrudu, had urged the BCCI to go in for an out-of-court settlement. That signal was widely construed by Azhar’s camp as being a positive one and a hint that the verdict could go in his favour. But the turn of events has caused much dismay. Says he: "The court can’t just dismiss my suit without furnishing valid reasons. What I mean is that it has to go into the merits of my arguments during the hearings."
Having decided to keep the issue alive, Azhar is determined to clear his name, though that has not posed much of a problem to him in being accepted back in public life. Of late, he has been preoccupied with the running of his state-of-the-art gymnasium ‘Est’, which he started last year. The gym, with all its five-star trappings, has been a runaway success in Hyderabad, attracting a huge clientele that includes corporate honchos and filmstars. Hoping to expand his business, Azhar and wife Sangeeta have made many trips to various cities to look for franchises. "There are many ups and downs one faces. I am only in a stronger position now," Azhar said, without losing his composure, after his suit was dismissed.
