With the Delhi and District Cricket Association misdeeds under the scanner of the law authorities, former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to step in for the sake of Delhi cricket.
Demanding that the final Test between India and South Africa – scheduled from December 3 – be taken away from the DDCA, Bedi expressed his anguish on the state of affairs in the DDCA. “I feel sad to say that Delhi should not host a Test but there is no cricket atmosphere at the Kotla. It is just a matter of time when some of these DDCA champions are put behind bars,” he said.
In a strongly-worded statement issued here on Tuesday, he said, “We (National Capital Territory Cricket Association) demand that BCCI should immediately appoint a committee to oversee the affairs of DDCA so that cricket and cricketers do not suffer.”
It may be recalled that acting on a series of complaints by former India cricketer Kirti Azad, the Registrar of Companies has asked the DDCA to pay Rs. 24 crore as tax and penalty within 15 days, for alleged evasion of entertainment tax.
Listing the misdemeanour of the DDCA office-bearers, Bedi mentioned “loot, embezzlement, defalcation, misgovernance, maladministration, wrong selections, playing overage boys as an institutional policy, gobbling of clubs, presenting fake bills, claiming double compensation once from DDCA and then from BCCI, making sham Balance Sheets/Accounts, giving either no answers or giving patently false replies in AGMs, retaining crooked auditors, misuse of powers etc.”
'Arun Jaitley never acted on complaints'
The outspoken spinner did not spare the former DDCA President Arun Jaitley and pointed out he never acted on any of the complaints. “Look at the 200 letters and scores of messages that we sent to Arun Jaitley. In fact he did everything to subvert the rule of law to save the office bearers who are now getting exposed by the investigation agencies.
Various reports, Government agencies, CBI, ROC, Internal Audit, Fact Finding, etc. have severely indicted DDCA office bearers, yet they have continued to loot DDCA's money and have indulged in fraudulent selections for reasons that are known to all of us.”
Further, Bedi said, “As recently as last week, the Junior Selection panel was compelled to resign and promptly three office-bearers divided the spoils amongst themselves, with each taking over one team in Under 14, 16 and 19 categories.”
'Cheating has become a norm'
Throwing light on the team selection, Bedi said, “Selection of cricket teams has become the biggest fraud. At least 34 clubs have changed hands, most within the Executive Committee's knowledge, but ironically, without their consent. Cheating of clubs has become a norm. Illegal takeover of clubs which are weak or inconvenient has been carried out by DDCA office bearers themselves.
The league has become a sheer formality. League performances do not count and players are regularly imported from Haryana and UP, as if there are no cricketers in Delhi. If we pressed DDCA management very hard, Committees consisting of C. K. Khanna and S. P. Bansal would be formed but only to whitewash the issue.
They would neither meet, nor give any report. The only report that was submitted was in the case of illegal Syndicate Bank takeover by the Sports Convener and his relatives- understandably the then President did not act upon it, since the crooks were his own cronies, and had his protection.”
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