While the Supreme Court is already adjudicating a plea pertaining to encroachment of Government land by the Odisha Olympic Association (OOA), the Odisha High Court on Friday admitted a PIl, alleging that the OOA has subleased a part of its leased land to the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) in violation of the lease deed.
Admitting the PIl filed by former OCA council member Braja Nanda, Justices Indrajit Mohanty and SC Parija issued notices to seven out of 10 respondents, including three Secretaries of the State Government and both the sporting bodies.
Alleging that OOA secretary Asirbad Behera, who also happens to be the OCA secretary, has engaged him in several nefarious activities by subleasing a portion of the OOA land to the OCA, the petitioner has sought a CBI inquiry into it and thereby changing the nature and purpose of the land leased out to the OOA by the Government.
The petitioner has stated that the Government leased out an area of 20.808 acres to the OOA in September 1949 to construct the Barabati Stadium for developing sporting activities.
Subsequently, the Government leased out another adjacent area measuring 2.703 acres to the OOA to build an indoor stadium.
“But in August 2001, when Behera was the honourary secretary of both the sporting bodies, the OOA executed an indenture subleasing the stadium galleries and its surrounding areas to the OCA.
Being an affiliated body of the BCCI, the cash-rich OCA constructed several permanent structures illegally on the subleased area, including the OCA Club with a liquor shop and bar,” the PIl has alleged.