Courting Controversy
Rohan faces grave charges in bitterly split DDCA
Delhi and District Cricket Association president Rohan Jaitley, son of former Union minister Arun Jaitley, is facing serious allegations of sexual abuse and financial impropriety. A complaint was first filed against him on February 22 this year by a woman known to him. In this complaint to top officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the complainant details how the DDCA chief misused his official position to seek sexual and financial favours. A second complaint has now surfaced. A model from Mumbai has levelled grave allegations of sexual abuse against him.
This complaint was made to the BCCI’s POSH Committee (Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment) on July 19 this year. Neither of the complainants has, however, approached the police so far. Besides these complaints of sexual abuse, the DDCA chief has also been accused of financial misconduct. Former Additional Solicitor General Vikas Singh, who has been the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association for two terms, has shot off a mail to Rohan Jaitley accusing him of trying to “cleverly restrict competition and to push in some favoured architect firm through whom major work can be easily allotted…” in the “major contractual jobs in DDCA before the World Cup matches to be held in Delhi this year”. Sources close to Jaitley have rubbished the allegations as “falsehood” being spread by DDCA members who were resoundingly defeated in the cricket body elections. They pointed out that none of the complainants has taken a legal recourse. They said this is because there is not an iota of truth in these charges. The DDCA is a bitterly divided body with celebrity cricketers and top politicians fighting for control. Expect more fireworks as Delhi prepares for the ICC Cricket World Cup this October-November.
Game On
Ajit, Praful hopeful of winning over Sharad Pawar
The story of a split in the Pawar family and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is far from over. While the breakaway group headed by Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel is engaged in discussions with the BJP leadership about the future course of action, which includes the fate of chief minister Eknath Shinde, sources said Ajit and Praful are still trying to persuade Sharad Pawar to switch from Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi to National Democratic Alliance.
The two leaders have met their mentor at least twice after splitting the NCP. According to sources, they have conveyed to the Maratha strongman the BJP’s offer of inducting him in the Union Cabinet with a heavy-weight portfolio, besides allocating a respectable number of seats in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Surveys have revealed that the NCP splinter group has been able to cause only a minor dent in the party’s votes. According to surveys conducted after the split, most NCP voters are still with the senior Pawar. The BJP is, therefore, keen on having Sharad Pawar on its side in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conceded to the NCP breakaway group’s ministerial demands but has yet to make his best offer to the senior Pawar. The game is still on in Maharashtra.