Wednesday, 24 June 2015

From best friend to enemy No 1: Tihara vs CK Khanna

Things keep getting worse at the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and it seems relationships don’t last long and can change in a short period. Tuesday saw another piece of drama. A letter written by sports working committee convenor Mr Vinod Tihara attacks association and BCCI vice-president Mr CK Khanna and promises to save the DDCA employees from him.
Mr Tihara wrote in his letter that the Mr Khanna has been ruling DDCA for the last 33 years and has been manipulating and resorting to illegal means and acts to get himself elected.
Mr Tihara further mentions, “I have initiated the beginning of the end of the rule of CK Khanna and would not rest till he is taken to Tihar Jail with full band baaza”.
It is surprising how Mr Tihara has suddenly got inimical to Mr Khanna. Till last year he was his best friend. In fact, when former cricketer Mr Kirti Azad raised the issue during one of the elections, he pointed out the nexus between Mr Tihara and Mr Khanna. In fact, it is common knowledge at DDCA Mr Khanna has helped Mr Tihara win elections over a number of years. For those frequenting the DDCA, Mr Tihara was often seen in his room.
So how come the two have fallen out and Mr Tihara become the “Jaani Dushman’ of Mr Khanna. From “Ye dosti hum nahi chhodenge”, the song has become “Main tera dushman, dushman too mera...”.
The crux of the issue my friends are the forthcoming sports working committee elections as you must have known while reading this blog. Mr Tihara has become the key enemy of Mr Khanna as it is known that the latter is not backing him this time.
To give you an idea of the timeline of the events that has led to this enmity:
On June 13 a resolution was passed to set the procedure for elections in motion. DDCA director Mr Ajay Sharma proposed it whereas Mr Ashok Sharma, another director seconded it.
On June 17, a meeting was called where former test cricketer Mr Chetan Chauhan, Mr CK Khanna and DDCA treasurer Mr Ravindra Manchanda were present. Mr Sunil Dev, the fourth key person, although asked to come didn’t attend the meeting. Mr Dev is a key ally of Mr Tihara. At the meeting, it was decided that KS Mohi, a retired judge would be appointed the election officer.
On June 18, a letter was despatched to Mr Mohi and he showed his receiving on the very same day.
On June 19, Mr Tihara approached the Tees Hazari Courts contesting that the resolutions are all illegal as the directors’ term had already expired on November 30, 2014.
On June 22, the court asked to seal the register where it was mentioned that Mr Mohi would be the election officer and proposals for elections were set up. Mr Tihara had claimed that the appointments were done on back-date, that is after he had filed a case on June 19.
However, Mr Ashok Sharma has claimed that the case filed on June 19 already has the contentious papers. “If the appointment paper and the election resolution is already there with the June 19 case, how is it possible that changes could be made on back-date. They are bluffing and fooling everyone. They just want to hang this around for the next year or year and a half and stay in charge of sports committee.”
The next date of hearing is June 29. Surely sparks will fly till then. The latest being an allegation of Mr Tihara that Mr Khanna and his friends had arranged goons to beat up two members of his sports working committee – Mr Anil Mishra and Mr Padam Chauhan. Delhi Cricket will talk about it in the next post as much drama is likely to happen on Wednesday evening over these allegations. 

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Court asks Sports Officer Satpal to produce sealed register on June 29

On Monday, June 22, a strange message popped out of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
The message sent on behalf of the current sports working committee on whatsapp read, “Pappu raktchaap se peedit ho gaya hai. Uske swasthya ki jaankari laao. Pappu raktchaap se peedit ho gaye hain. Hum unke jaldi swasth hone ki prathna karte hain.” (Pappu is down with blood pressure. Get information about his health. Pappu is down with blood pressure. We pray for his well being.”
Now, Pappu here doesn’t refer to Rahul Gandhi nor to Salman Khan. It refers to Mr CK Khanna, the vice-president of the DDCA and the vice-president of BCCI.
Such insinuations, gross and sarcastic remarks are not new in the DDCA. There have been worse.
Mr Khanna was supposed to appear in the court in a case that Mr Vinod Tihara & Co, of the current sports working committee, had filed. The allegation was that Mr Khanna had put in officials for the Sports Working Committee elections on back date over a contentious resolution to hold elections. He is facing contempt of court for having tampered with the documents.
The current committee says that Mr Khanna got it done in desperation a few days back to ensure that the court doesn’t stop sports committee elections before August 4 whereas Mr Khanna says that things have been done methodically, as per the rules and systematically. He has even told Delhi Cricket that the current committee is trying to stop the elections as they know they’ll lose.
Whatever be the case, Mr Khanna couldn’t make it to the court due to blood pressure and the court has now asked Mr Satpal, the sports officer at DDCA to seal the register which has the details, and produce it before the court on June 29 when the court also hears the case of Mr Tihara’s allegations about ‘resolutions since December, 2014 being illegal’ including one that sent Mr Khanna to the BCCI. Mr Khanna has also been asked to provide details on June 29. The Khanna faction says that Mr Tihara and Mr Sunil Dev are desperate to remove Mr Khanna from the post of BCCI vice-presidency and even want Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia to replace him from Central Zone, from where he got elected.
Mr Khanna had shocked the entire cricketing fraternity after he defeated the Madhya Pradesh strongman Mr Scindia in his own backyard during the BCCI elections. The post of vice-presidency from North Zone had gone to Mr ML Nehru of the Jammu and Kashmir.


Collage, RP share Raghubir honours as rain spoils final

The final of the iconic 39th Lala Raghubir Singh cricket tournament was spoiled by rain. The rainy season had already forced the postponement of the GG Dutt cricket tournament last week and the final was played three days later on Wednesday. However, the Raghubir final on Monday, June 22, had gotten off to a start before rain intervened. The match was reduced to 30 overs and Collage Sports Club, which was put into bat by RP Academy, scored 155 in the allotted 30 overs.
Pramod Chandela hammered 72 to push Collage beyond 150. On a good batting surface of Modern School grounds, Barakhamba Road, the score wasn’t enough.
In reply RP got off to a flying start, getting to 34 without loss in the fifth over before heavy rains stopped the match. Both teams shared the winners’ trophy.
The two finalists got 1.5 lakh rupees each whereas the semifinalists Madras Club and Telefunken Club got 51,000 rupees each.
Scores: Collage Sports Club 155 all out in 30 overs (Pramod Chandela 72 (53 balls, 6 fours and five sixes), Arun Chaprana 28, Sunil Dalal 2/14, Rohit Dubey 2/29, Ketan Pawar 2/30)
RP Academy 34/0 in 4.4 overs (Milind Tandon 20 not out)

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Best batsman: Aakash Antil (RP Academy)
Best bowler: Ketan Pawar (RP Academy)
Man of the tournament: Priyank Tehlan (Telefunken Club) 
Shahbaz Nadeem (left) and Puneet Bisht share the
Raghubir cricket trophy as tournament joint secretary
DP Singh, DDCA's ousted president Sneh Bansal and
ex-Test cricketer Yashpal Sharma applaud.

Sunday, 21 June 2015

Battle moves to social media, but should SWC elections be delayed

There is a war brewing at the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). The two warring parties are the Mr Vinod Tihara-Sunil Dev-Sneh Bansal trio against the Delhi Cricket Council, who has Mr CK Khanna, Mr Chetan Chauhan and Mr Ravindra Manchanda by their side. Just think over it. The clubs have not received subsidies, umpires haven’t been paid despite an amount of close to 7 crore is lying in a bank account that has been frozen due to the internal politics after a signatory, Mr Dev, refused to sign. An amount of 10 crore rupees is still with the BCCI as the DDCA hasn’t managed to prepare a balance sheet and submit to the apex body.
The DDCA is on the verge of crisis once again. And it has become a laughing stock again. The war has now extended to social media whatsapp with both parties inundating their followers with messages.
The Tihara group’s lawyer sent out a message saying, “The parental organization is always powerful and will remain so. It delight it's power to make it more functional. It's democratic and followed in progressive society globally. But conflict of interest always lead to bad blood as in the case of DDCA Executive Committee and democratically elected SWC. It has tried it's best, to fulfil it's electoral promises without much required support from The DDCA's Executive Committee. And after exhausting all possible channels, it's Convener was forced to write a letter dated 16 June 2015 to the Hony. Gen. Sect. DDCA and forwarded it's copies to all concerned with BCCI, officials of DDCA, Secretaries of all affiliated clubs of DDCA.”
Then Vinod Tihara sent out a message saying, “If the DDCA Executive Committee cannot release funds for Annual Cricket League, Club subsidies to its Affiliated Clubs pending since last 3 years, I on behalf of the SWC demand that EC members public ally feel sorry about it and tender apology and resign or else the SWC will not allow them to function. Even otherwise 18 Executive Directors are illegally holding on to their office despite their term being over on 30.09.14. I have ensure through the court case Vinod Tihara Vs DDCA that the "fraud" is exposed before the world.”
The Delhi Cricket Council sent its message on whatsapp, “We agree you are fighting with your funds looted by you this year and for the last 10 years. By siding with Bansal and Sunil Dev you have shown that you also belong to that corrupt group .You are right 87 secry's are dead against you and don't even want to see your dirty face in Ddca. The mere mention of SWC (Sports Working Committee) elections through a resolution by the executive committee sent shivers through your body and you ran towards your equally corrupt lawyer to stall the elections. But you were surprised when you came to know that the elections would be held on time. All your dirty efforts went in vain and you have nothing left in you. You are a spent force who have done nothing for clubs and secry's. The previous committee did so many good things that it's difficult to describe it in words. Never in the history of Ddca has any committee done such good work for the benefit of clubs. You be busy with bansal and court cases, this suits you. Your lawyer is a happy man-More to come -don't run away-kehte hain Picture abhi baki hai.”
In this battle, the patience of the people concerned with cricket is running thin. On June 19, the court had said, “this court deems it appropriate that the ‘resolution by circulation dated 13.06.15” be not acted upon till next date of hearing. It is clarified that the DDCA shall not fix any date for holding of elections of SWC till next date of hearing”.
The next date of hearing is June 29 and the Delhi Cricket Council is confident that the court’s decision will not stall the elections. Mr CK Khanna had already told delhicricketnews.blogspot.com that this is a desperate measure to delay the inevitable. Mr Tihara has alleged in his note to court that his opponents got a backdated letter mentioning the appointment of election officers.
Mr Tihara has also said that he has the support of majority of the clubs and they are with him.
Let us analyse the entire matter from the point of view of a cricket lover. Why shouldn’t there be an election? Why should it be stalled now? Shall we carry on with the status quo and witness Delhi’s cricket in the courtroom?
Or should there be a proactive measure where parties should sit and talk and deliberate over the matter.
Everyone knows that corruption runs deep in DDCA and the internal bickering are hurting the game and its connoisseurs.
It won’t be wrong to say that the latest case is another way of hurting the cricket, knowingly or unknowingly, rightly or wrongly.
In one of the responses to an earlier report that delhicricketnews.blogspot.com got from the Mr Tihara’s lawyer, Mr Gautam Dutta, it was mentioned that the elections can’t be held in July as was reported by us. Now Mr Tihara’s contention in the court case filed by him is that the elections shouldn’t be held before August 4, 2015, the date the present committee’s term expires and it completes its tenure.
However, the Delhi Cricket Council points out that for any election, it has to take place before the term expires so that the new body can take over immediately after the day the previous term ends. It makes sense.
In any and every election, including the national general elections, such a thing happens. The elections are held and while the results are declared, the outgoing official/body or even Prime Minister serves till the time the new one takes over. So this premise that the elections can be held only after the tenure ends seems flawed and can hurt cricket even further.

What decision the court takes on June 29 remains to be seen. However, it will be interesting to see whether Delhi’s cricket remains hung in suspended animation or the elections are held early to decide the future course of action. 

Saturday, 20 June 2015

Court sets June 29 date for hearing EC, Khanna says these are tactics to delay elections

In what is turning out to be a desperate attempt to shake the existing order and ensure delay in the sports working committee elections, Mr Vinod Tihara and Co had approached the court challenging the resolutions passed by the Delhi and District Cricket Association’s (DDCA) Executive Committee (EC). He had contested that the 16 directors had already retired on November 30, 2014 and all resolutions after that including the removal of Mr Sneh Bansal as president were illegal.
However, the Tis Hazari Court where this case was lodged, has taken note of it and asked for a written reply from the DDCA executive committee on June 29 following which the current dispensation feels the elections will be held. It is unlikely that there will be a major change, at the most, the case will keep dragging on ensuring cricket suffers making both sides big losers. Mr CK Khanna, whose appointment to BCCI from DDCA has also been challenged says, that it is a desperate attempt by them to delay the sports working committee elections as Mr Tihara and Co know they are going to lose.
It should be noted that over the past few months, Mr Tihara and Mr Sunil Dev, the sports secretary, have blasted the current order. Mr Dev even ensuring that the Central Bank of India account where 7 crore rupees are lying be frozen forcing DDCA to be without cash. In such a desperate moment, the treasurer of the DDCA Mr Ravindra Manchanda had to call GMR for the over one crore rupees dues that have to be paid to the DDCA.
“These are just tactics to delay the inevitable and bother us,” said Mr CK Khanna. “We have to give a reply on June 29 and after that we are hoping things will work out.”

The sports working committee elections are scheduled for July.

Friday, 19 June 2015

CK Khanna's BCCI appointment challenged, Manchanda talks to GMR for money

In a fresh twist to the ongoing Delhi cricket drama, Sports Working Committee convenor Vinod Tihara has taken the DDCA (Delhi and District Cricket Association) directors to the court saying that all recent resolutions passed by them are deemed to be illegal, including the decision to send CK Khanna to the BCCI as vice-president nominee to which he got elected. Tihara has argued in the case that the decisions were taken by directors in early December, 2014 whereas the tenure of 18 directors (of the 24 directors) had already ended on November 30, 2014.
The case also attacks Ravindra Manchanda, who according to the Tihara group feel was already holding a post when he was appointed the treasurer. The Manchanda case had also been filed earlier despite no positive outcome for Tihara. This is a fresh visit to it.
In December the DDCA directors had decided to remove president Sneh Bansal due to his involvement of round tripping of money. They had also decided that CK Khanna will be the DDCA representative at the BCCI. This had irked Bansal’s close associates Tihara and sports secretary Sunil Dev. According  to some officials, the duo had helped freeze the new DDCA account at Central Bank where 7 crore rupees are lying. That put the DDCA in a dock as they had no money to pay officials like umpires, club subsidies and ground fees.
The case filed at the Tis Hazari also attacks directors for non-payment of club subsidies.
Treasurer Ravindra Manchanda however says that this is a desperate attempt to shake the existing order. He and CK Khanna took a decision in Tuesday’s finance committee meeting and assured the clubs that subsidies will be paid the moment they get the money.
On Thursday, Manchanda described as fruitful talks with GMR who are supposed to give DDCA over 1 crore rupees in dues. “We should get that money in a day or two following which we will disburse the money,” Manchanda said. “We have also told Bansal to get in touch with bookmyshow.com to give the money accruing from gate sales for the India-West Indies match.”

Praveen Kumar stars as ONGC wins GG Dutt title

In a thrilling final, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation defeated Air India by three runs in the final of the Goswami Ganesh Dutt cricket tournament at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Wednesday. The match was rescheduled for Wednesday after wet outfield due to rains ensured the game couldn’t be played on Sunday, June 14, the original day scheduled.
ONGC skipper Suhail Sharma won the toss and elected to bat. They could score only 194 for seven in 40 overs. Nitish Rana made 46 (4x4, 56 balls) while UP Ranji player Tanmay Srivastava hit 48. Sumit Narwal (32*) and Radhey Shyam Gupta (22) also chipped in. Tanmay and Nitish had put on 68 for the third wicket in 14.5 overs. Veteran left-arm spinner Sonu Sharma took 4 wickets for 46 runs in 10 overs.
In reply, Air India failed to cross the target and were all out for 191 in 39.5 overs, losing the match by 3 runs. For the Airmen, Manvinder Bisla top-scored with 42, Kunj Sharma got 31 while Rahul Yadav hit 27.
However, it was India Test discard Praveen Kumar who helped ONGC win, taking 3 wickets for 25 runs in his spell to restrict Air India. Birender Singh and Suhail Sharma took two wickets each.
SCOREBOARD
OIL AND NATURAL GAS CORP.  194 FOR 7 IN 40 OVERS  (SAMARTH SINGH C RAHUL YADAV (WK) B SANJAY PAHAL 00, SANDEEP SHARMA B SONU SHARMA 18 ( 3X4 B33), TANMAY SRIVASTAVA C DEEPAK JOON B SONU SHARMA 48 ( 3X4 B71), NITISH RANA C RAHUL YADAV B SARFRAZ 46 ( 4X4 B56), RADHEY SHYAM GUPTA B SONU SHARMA 22,( 1X4 B37), SUMIT NARWAL NOT OUT 32 ( 1X4 2X6 B27),GAURAV TOMAR C ADITYA KAUSHIK B SANJAY PAHAL 01, SUHAIL SHARMA ST RAHUL YADAV B SONU SHARMA 2, PARVEEN KUMAR NOT OUT 10 ( 1X6 B6) EXTRA 15 ( B 4, LB 4, W 6)
 FOW: 1/00, 2/37, 3/105, 4/136, 5/166, 6/173, 7/181
BOWLING: SANJAY PAHAL 8-0-33-2, KUNJ SHARMA 5-0-27-0, SONU SHARMA 10-1-46-4, SARFRAZ 7-0-28-1, SUBHASH CHAUDHARY 6-0-34-0, MANVINDER BISLA 4-0-18-0
AIR INDIA: 191 ALL OUT IN 39.5 OVRERS  (ADITYA KAUSHIK C SUHAIL SHARMA B PRAVEEN KUMAR 9 (1XD4 B18), MANINDER BISLA C SUHAIL SHARMA B BIRENDER SINGH 42 ( 4X4 B66), DEEPAK JOON B NITISH RANA 12 ( B29), RAHUL YADAV C GAURAV TOMAR B SUHAIL SHARMA 27( 2X4 B42), HIMANSHU ASHNORA B SUHAIL SHARMA 3( B6), SHIVAM SHARMA C SUHAIL SHARMA B PRAVEEN KUMAR 14 ( 1X4 1X6 B14), KUNJ SHARMA C GAURAV TOMAR B BIRENDER SINGH 31( 1X4 2X6 B26), SONU SHARMA RUN OUT( BY PRAVEEN KUMAR)  23( 2X6 B22) , SARFRAZ LBW PRAVEEN KUMAR 00(B1), SANJAY PAHAL B SUMIT NARWAL 2( B4), SUBHASH CHAUDHARY NOT OUT 5 ( B11) EXTRA 23 ( B 1, LB 3, W 19)
FOW: 1/29, 2/68, 3/102, 4/105, 5/127, 6/128, 7/165, 8/165, 9/170
BOWLING: PRAVEEN KUMAR 8-0-25-3, SUMIT NARWAL 7-0-47-1, BIRENDER SINGH 6.5-0-38-2, SUHAIL SHARMA 10-0-35-2, NITISH RANA 5-0-21-1, VISHAL CHAUDHARY 3-0-21-0
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
BEST ALL ROUNDER:  SUMIT NARWAL OF ONGC
MAN OF THE TOURNAMENT:   TANMAY SRIVASTAVA OF ONGC
BEST BATSMAN:   ADITYA KAUSHIK OF AIR INDIA
BEST BOWLER:  KUNJ SHARMA OF AIR INDIA
Champion ONGC team with the trophy
ONGC captain Suhail Sharma receives trophy from
national selector Saba Karim