THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has in-principle agreed to accord sanction to register a case against former sports minister V Abdurahiman and former Sports Council president U Sharaf Ali under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) after the special investigation team probing alleged financial irregularities linked to the failed proposal to bring football great Lionel Messi and his Argentina team reported that there was incriminating evidence against them.
The SIT’s findings were handed over to State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar, who forwarded it to the state government with a request to grant sanction to register FIRs against Abdurahiman and Sharaf Ali, a former India footballer. The probe also reportedly stumbled on evidence against Abdurahiman’s private secretary C Sathyapalan. The team assessed that Abdurahiman misused his position to arbitrarily select a sponsor and violated protocols during the signing of sponsorship deals. The SIT is likely to register a separate case against him and others. Once PCA is invoked, vigilance might be asked to take over.
Last week, the SIT interrogated Abdurahiman on matters, including the criteria employed for selecting the sponsor and his foreign visits over the proposal. He has denied any wrongdoing and said the exercise was initiated with the sole objective of bringing Messi to the state. The private sponsor, Reporter Broadcasting Company, is alleged to have received the government’s nod to sign a deal with Argentina Football Association in violation of rules.