On Tuesday night, the executive committee of the Delhi
and District Cricket Association had gathered at the Ferozeshah Kotla to remove
SP Bansal, the president of the DDCA. The meeting was to start at 6 pm. What
followed was complete chaos where the umpires, the sports committee members as
well as the scorers gathered and created ruckus over non-payment of their dues.
They have not got their dues for quite a few months and the DDCA league also has
been stalled this fortnight.
The executive members then met with Bansal and the
meeting was adjourned. The meeting was then taken to Vikram Hotel near
Moolchand. Bansal says that when he reached there, no one was there and it was
learnt that the meeting took place at the Kotla only. Fourteen out of 24
members decided to vote against Bansal, allegedly for corruption issues. “Bansal had asked general secretary Anil
Khanna to transfer a sum of rupees 1.55 crore to three different companies.
Then when the matter was brought to light, he transferred it back to the DDCA,”
DDCA treasurer Ravinder Manchanda told reporters.
“I was kept in the dark. I didn’t know anything. I was
elected as treasurer on December 31, 2013. I realised that the president had
the authority to sign amounts without even asking the treasurer for it. Three
different sums totalling 1.55 crore of rupees were transferred to different
companies through RTGS in January,” said Manchanda.
However, once the issue was raised by Kirti Azad and he
sent out mails regarding this, the money was returned to the DDCA by March-end.
“We think the money would not have been returned had this
not come to light and the movement of money without the permission is illegal,”
said Manchanda. “Incidentally, the minutes of the meeting where the statement
of general secretary, Anil Khanna, who said he transferred the money at the
behest of Bansal, disappeared from the accounts office,” Manchanda added at a
press conference at the Kotla on Wednesday.
Chetan Chauhan, the vice-president, who has been elected
as the interim president by the executive committee, said that there have been
discrepancies in other things like officials going out of station in first
class which will be looked into. Manchanda says he is studying papers and will
look into the matter.
Manchanda also pointed out that Bansal had given three
different statements. “Firstly, he said that the money was sent to the BCCI.
When BCCI said they have not got any money from DDCA, we asked him again in the
next meeting. But he said that the DDCA money was being invested. If that was
so, where were the returns. Then, he pointed out that it was given to three
companies and then it was returned,” said Manchanda.
A letter by the treasurer and signed by other members has
been sent to the BCCI where it puts the blame on Bansal. The letter reads, “However,
the second signatory, Sh Anil Khanna, Hony Gen. Secretary, Sh Anil Khanna,
informed the House that he was made to sign the necessary instructions for
disbursement of that amount through RTGS by Sh. SP Bansal, President of DDCA on
the pretext that this amount was to be paid in furtherance to the directions
issued by BCCI. Mr Anil Khanna also claimed his innocence in the matter.” It
then says that the decision to remove the President was taken after Anil Khanna’s
confession.
While Bansal will remain the vice-president of the BCCI
and will attend the board meetings in that capacity, vice-president CK Khanna
appears to have gained something. He will represent DDCA in the BCCI meetings instead
of others sent by Bansal. The annual general meeting of the BCCI is on January
31.
There has been a lot of issues with the Delhi team and
its selection panels too. “Proper procedure was not followed while putting up
selection panels,” said interim president Chetan Chauhan. Yahspal Sharma was
appointed amidst lots of controversy and there have been pressures from
different quarters. “All that will be put to good purpose.”
However, SP Bansal said that the charges are false and he
will prove it. “I will read the papers and allegations and then talk with the
other officials. They held the meeting illegally. They told me that they will
hold it in Vikram Hotel and when I reached, I didn’t find anyone there and I
learnt later that they were holding a meeting at the Kotla even though the
meeting had been adjourned earlier,” he said. “All these charges are false and
I continue to be the president.”
Following the ruckus on Tuesday, the DDCA has banned members
Naresh Sharma, Anil Mishra, Tirkha, Maqsood Kareem and Haider for misbehaving
and creating a scene.
