The three-member Delhi Government panel — constituted to look into the mismanagement of fund and affairs in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) — is flying to Mumbai to meet BCCI chief Shashank Manhohar.
This has been decided after a high-level meeting with Delhi Government’s panel and DDCA officials headed by former test player and former MP Chetan Chauhan. According to sources, DDCA owed Rs 24 crore to the Delhi Government on the count of Entertainment Tax whereas the DDCA has just Rs 3 crore in its coffers.
Top sources told The Pioneer that three-member panel headed by Principal Secretary (Urban Development) Chetan Sanghi, Secretary (Education and Sports) Punya Silva Srivastava and Delhi law Officer Rahul Mehra will meet BCCI chief Shashank Manohar at Nagpur on Saturday to discuss the issues. The panel has held a meeting with DDCA officials and office bearer to discuss the issue on Friday. Sources said the Government is ready to bail out DDCA but it want greater say in the day to day functioning of the DDCA.
The panel admitted that there are lots of wrong doings in DDCA. “Interestingly, it is a body registered under Registrar of Cooperative Society and three members are nominated by GoI in the board of DDCA. Despite that, it has no clearance from MCD and DUAC for newly-constructed stadium. There are complaints against them in CBI, serious fraud office, and Delhi Police,” said a panel member on the condition of anonymity.
Earlier, the Arvind Kejriwal Government formed a three-member committee to probe allegations of corruption in the cricket association and asked it to submit a report by Saturday.
It is noted that the BCCI served an ultimatum a few days ago, directing the Delhi association to convince it by November 17 that it has all requisite Government clearances to stage the fourth and final Test match between India and South Africa at Feroz Shah Kotla, one of the country’s oldest cricket venues, from December 4. The caveat was if the DDCA fails, the venue shifts to Pune.