The arrest of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary general Rajeev Mehta has elicited focus on the past controversies and allegations of corruption surrounding him. Mehta also happens to be the president of Uttarakhand Olympic Association (UOA) and is considered to be one of the powerful sports lobbyists of the State.
Mehta brought shame to the country when he was arrested at Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games on charges of drunken driving.
Mehta also faces the charges of swindling money in the organisation of sports tournaments in the state. In one such case, the auditors had found gross financial irregularities in the sports tournaments which the Uttarakhand Olympic Association organised at Haldwani, Kashipur and Dehradun. These events were held from February 13 to February 16, 2004 and Mehta was the President of the association during that period. It is alleged that Mehta transferred large portion of the money provided by the State Government to organise this event to his and his wives personal bank accounts.
It is interesting to know that such is the clout of Mehta that he is holding multiple positions in various sports bodies of the country and Uttarakhand.
According to the new guidelines of the Indian Olympic Association a person should not be an office bearer of any sports body to be an official of IOA.
Mehta in gross violation to this rule happens to be secretary general of IOA while simultaneously he holds the position of president Uttarakhand Olympic Association, secretary State Hockey Association Uttarakhand, president Indian Kho- Kho Association and senior vice president of Indian Hockey Federation. It appears that Mehta has panache for sports federations as apart from holding a slew of positions himself, his wife Deepa Mehta is president of State Swimming Association and secretary general of Uttarakhand State Women Cricket Association.
The buzz going round in Dehradun suggests that the Sports Minister of Uttarakhand Dinesh Aggarwal and Sports secretary Ajay Pradyot have also gone to Glasgow on an invitation of Mehta. In the sporting fraternity questions are being asked about as what capacity the Minister and Secretary are visiting the sporting event as Mehta himself is not a part of official Indian contingent. Incidentally, the sports secretary is heading the inquiry into financial irregularities against Mehta.