BCCI set to change payout procedure for members

The BCCI is understood to have arrived at a decision to stop making any cheque payments to any of its affiliate units, a day after three Goa Cricket Association officials were arrested for misappropriation of BCCI funds.

The modification will act as a major reform in an otherwise haphazard manner of transfer of funds from the BCCI to its affiliate units.

A day after three Goa Cricket Association (GCA) officials were > arrested by the Economic Offences Wing for allegedly encashing the subsidy worth Rs 3.3 crore received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the cricket board is into action mode.

The BCCI is understood to have arrived at a decision to stop making any cheque payments to any of its affiliate units. The decision to switch payment mode from cheques to online transfer (NEFT/ RTGS) will soon be notified to all the associations. The BCCI has also asked all the affiliates to get just one bank account authorised from the bank and statutory authorities so that the payments will be credited only in the authorised account.

The step will act as a major reform in an otherwise haphazard manner of transfer of funds from the BCCI to its affiliate units. GCA president Chetan Desai, secretary Vinod Phadke and treasurer Akbar Mulla were arrested for an encashment in 2006 but at least a couple of more associations are also facing allegations of re-routing the BCCI subsidy into the accounts of some of its office-bearers.

The BCCI decision was made on the day its first Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Santosh Rangnekar, formally took charge. Rangnekar, a professional with more than three decades’ experience in financial operations, was introduced to BCCI special general meeting in Mumbai last month. It would be interesting to see if the BCCI’s financial wing can implement Thursday’s decision, understood to have been made by its top three office-bearers.

Working committee to discuss GCA issue

With the arrests of its three top office-bearers, Goa cricket is in turmoil. Amidst the growing demand of BCCI suspending at least the arrested officials, if not the association, the BCCI has decided against taking any step in a hurry.

While stressing that “the BCCI in no way is undermining these serious allegations” a BCCI official preferring anonymity revealed it would not be prudent to “act in a hurry when the legal process is happening”. The official, however, said the working committee in Dharamsala on June 24 will deliberate the issue and decide whether to suspend Desai and Phadke from BCCI sub-committees.

While Desai, who lost the last BCCI election for the joint-secretary’s post, is the head of the marketing committee, Phadke, a former manager of India and India Under-19 teams, features in the information technology and data management committee.

“More than these individuals, we will have to ensure that the cricketers and cricket in Goa do not suffer due to this issue. The Board will have to find ways to ensure that,” the official said.