Junior Selector Comes Under Conflict Cloud

CHENNAI: The BCCI’s ombudsman Justice AP Shah is busy. After alleged conflict of interest in the cases of senior national selector Vikram Rathore and media manager Nishant Arora,  Shah has received a complaint against junior selection committee member Rakesh Parikh.

The complaint by freelance journalist Niraj Gunde states that Parikh is an administrator at Baroda Cricket Association and paid member of the BCCI’s junior national selection panel. A BCA vice-president,  Parikh attended the BCCI’s annual general meeting on November 9 after board president Shashank Manohar gave him the nod. Another representative of BCA had also turned up, but was not allowed to attend.

In his letter in possession of Express, Gunde writes, “Rakesh Parikh attended the BCCI AGM representing BCA, and was the office bearer of the association. He is an administrator. One of the items on agenda was appointment of junior selectors. They get upwards of `40 lakh per annum. The appointment is done at the BCCI AGM where the general body decides. Rakesh Parikh was part of this body that appointed him junior national selector from West Zone. He therefore was a judge in his own cause.”

Responding to application no 13 of 2016 filed by Gunde, Shah has asked Manohar and BCCI game development manager Ratnakar Shetty to respond by February 6. Though it is learnt that Parikh has resigned as the VP of BCA, one board officials told Express there is possibility of conflict of interest.

“The complaint is factually right. Two factions of BCA turned up at the AGM saying they should be allowed to attend the meeting. In the end, it was Parikh who represented BCA and was present when the decision was made,” he said.