With the BCCI threatening to call off the ongoing series between India and New Zealand, the Justice R.M. Lodha led panel today clarified that they didn't direct the banks to freeze the accounts of the Board and it can carry on with its routine expenses.
The Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Committee on Tuesday requested private sector bank, Yes Bank, to not freeze the accounts of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
READ: >Lodha panel cautions BCCI members against using disbursed money
This particular action was taken by the SC committee following reports that Yes Bank has put BCCI accounts on a debit freeze status. "First of all we have not received responses to the mails addressed to the BCCI and marked to the Banks advising not to proceed with disbursing large funds to the State associations. We do not know if the Banks have really decided to freeze the BCCI accounts. But we have spoken to Yes Bank and told them not to freeze the BCCI accounts," said a person attached to the Justice Lodha Committee.
The BCCI, however, argued that state associations depended on the parent body for organising matches and they were unable to carry on their functioning in the wake of the latest directive from the Lodha panel, affecting their preparations for the upcoming games in the ongoing series against New Zealand.
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"The members are pained at the treatment meted out to them. They are dependent on BCCI's funds for organising matches. So far seven associations have communicated their inability to host games in the home season while nine of them have inquired about the matter. If things are the way they are, the series (against New Zealand) could called off by today evening," a senior BCCI official said.
"There is too much interference at the moment. People need to realise India has become a cricketing super power under BCCI's administration. We are the only sports body which has not taken a single penny from anyone including the government. We have created all the infrastructure on our own," the senior Board functionary added.
READ: >Thakur laments 'interference in everything' by Lodha panel
On Monday, the Lodha Committee sent the following mail to the top functionaries of the BCCI and to the Banks: "It has come to the notice of this Committee that certain decisions have been taken at the ‘Emergent Working Committee’ meeting of the BCCI on 30th September 2016 to disburse large funds to the various member associations. You are aware that by way of this Committee’s direction dated 31.8.2016, no further decisions were to be taken regarding the future apart from routine matters. The disbursement of these amounts are not routine, and in any case, not emergent."
"You are also aware that the BCCI has chosen to breach the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court as well as the first set of Timelines set out by this Committee which includes the Fund Disbursement policy to be framed by 30.9.2016. As the status report is to be taken up for directions by the Hon’ble Court on Thursday, 6.10.2016, you are hereby directed not to take any steps towards financial disbursement of the amounts as resolved / approved after the direction dated 31.8.2016. Any violation of this direction will be placed before the Hon’ble Supreme Court for appropriate directions."
Justice Lodha himself and Secretary to the SC Committee, Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan clarified matters to a number of television channels about the operative part of their mail to the BCCI and the Banks that was sent on Monday.
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