CHENNAI: Hearing arguments for and against the implementation of Justice Lodha panel recommendations, the Supreme Court drew the BCCI’s attention towards gray areas in its system of distributing funds to affiliated units. Goa Cricket Association was mentioned with others, when the court questioned how affiliates use huge sums, which have been to the tune of several crores annually for over 10 years.
Recent developments at this association nondescript in terms of producing top cricketers suggest there is reason for officials to investigate handling of funds. Following allegations and counter-allegations, an FIR has been registered against the GCA president, secretary and treasurer for misappropriation of a BCCI cheque worth Rs..2.87 crore, issued as share of profits from TV rights in 2006.
One of the six voting units from South Zone, Goa has BCCI marketing committee chairman Chetan Desai as president. Secretary at the time when the amount was withdrawn from the bank without the association’s knowledge, Desai said he has also filed an FIR after it was discovered recently that the cheque isn’t mentioned in the balance sheets. He added it’s an attempt to malign him.
Complainant Vilas Desai is a former treasurer, who alleged that the cheque was deposited in a new account opened in the name of another ‘Goa Cricket Association’, which showed Chetan, Vinod Phadke and Akbar Mulla as office bearers. “It was noticed after the Service Tax department asked for a list of BCCI grants over the last 10 years. There’s no record of this cheque encashed from a bank the association doesn’t deal with,” said Vilas.
Now secretary and treasurer, respectively, Phadke and Mulla were treasurer and committee member then. Vilas claimed that after opening the account in April 2007, the amount of `2.87 crore was withdrawn in parts and the account closed in March 2008.
The GCA chief, who lost in election for the BCCI join-secretary’s post at last year’s AGM as a representative of now president Anurag Thakur’s panel, said forged documents were submitted while opening the account. “False signatures were produced with unauthorised copies of our IDs. Even we are at a loss who did this. But to accuse us is nothing but an attempt to tarnish our image by those who lost elections. I’ve called a special general meeting on June 12,” said Chetan, who became GCA president last July, in elections held under a court-appointed panel.
BCCI issues show-cause?
Sources said late on Wednesday the BCCI has issued a show-cause notice to GCA, asking for explanation of how the cheque was misused. Grants have multiplied post IPL. From `8 crore in 2008, units are receiving over `15 crore per year since. It was `30 crore in 2014 & `17 crore last year.
— atreyo@newindianexpress.com