In a major setback to Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) led by Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday dismissed its petition seeking quashing of the show-cause notice issued to it by Registrar of Societies.
The Registrar of Societies had issued a show cause notice dated September 7 and had asked the HPCA, as to why it should not be removed u/s 41 (1) of the HP Societies Registration Act, 2006, for its alleged acts of omission and commission. The Registrar of Societies, HP, had also restrained the Governing Body of the HPCA from passing any order or resolution, or to make any expenditure or investment or banking transaction or perform any other act concerning the affairs of HPCA, without its approval.
The Registrar had further directed the HPCA Governing Body to function under the superintendence, direction and control of the authority of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kangra at Dharamshala. The HPCA had challenged the Show Cause notice in the High Court submitting that it was converted to a Not for Profit company on October 1, 2012 and hence, it is not a registered Society, therefore, the Registrar of Societies, could not exercise any jurisdiction over it.
The Bench comprising Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh directed that since it was only a Show Cause notice, therefore, the petitioners can raise the issue of jurisdiction before the Registrar of Societies. The division Bench further directed the petitioners to appear before the Registrar of Societies on September 30, 2013 at 11:30 am and to submit their objections or preliminary objections, which shall be decided by the Registrar of Societies.
Meanwhile, state Vigilance Bureau probing the irregularities case of HPCA, has asked eight questions from president of the HPCA, Anurag Thakur via email and wanted to know why and how the society was converted into company and for what purpose. A hard copy has also been sent to Thakur by post. According to sources, depending on the answers of Thakur, it will be decided whether he needs to be summoned or not. Vigilance had already registered a FIR at Dharamshala police station on August 1, 2013 against unnamed accused. A team of vigilance had also visited BCCI office to collect details of HPCA.