Lalchand Rajput seeks reinstatement of his CIC

Rajput, the former India opener and a reputed coach, was appointed in the CIC on August 20 last year along with former Test cricketers Raju Kulkarni and Sameer Dighe.

Lalchand Rajput is currently the head coach of the Zimbabwe cricket team.

Lalchand Rajput, who was involved in a bitter tussle with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) office-bearers during his brief stint as the chairman of the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC), has filed a complaint to the MCA Ombudsman, (retd.) Justice Vijaya Tahilramani, alleging wrongful termination of the CIC and requesting reinstatement of the three-member committee.

Rajput, the former India opener and a reputed coach, was appointed in the CIC on August 20 last year along with former Test cricketers Raju Kulkarni and Sameer Dighe. The CIC is authorised to appoint coaches and selectors of various Mumbai teams.

After being at loggerheads with office-bearers over the appointment of Mumbai senior men’s selectors and coaches, the CIC was dissolved by MCA office-bearers in February and a new committee was constituted.

Pointing out in his complaint that only the AGM, and not office-bearers or apex council, has the right to appoint the CIC, Rajput’s petition, accessed by Sportstar , alleges MCA has “followed the unethical and illegal process of appointing a new CIC by dissolving on the same day without any power of doing the same and thus they have violated the MCA constitution.”

Rajput has also complained against the MCA secretaries interfering in the CIC’s working and has requested the Ombudsman to refrain them from doing so in future. Besides, Rajput has also sought to stay new CIC appointment and other cricket-related appointments.

He has requsted the Ombudsman for seven “immediate interim actions” including reinstating his CIC, declaring “the appointment of of New CIC under the chairmanship of Jatin Paranjape invalid till next AGM” and to stay “new appointment for Mumbai team in any category”.

Ever since the MCA appointed Justice Tahilramani on March 24, Rajput’s is the second major complaint filed to the Ombudsman. On March 31, Ravi Mandrekar, representative of the Gaud Saraswat Cricket Club, had complained against alleged improprieties in awarding maintenance and repair works contracts for the Wankhede Stadium amounting in excess of Rs. 7 crore.

MCA suspends local cricket

A day after the state government ordered closure of all sports complexes and grounds, except for IPL, till April 30, the MCA has suspended all the tournaments and player registration till futher notice. It was announced through the association’s website on Monday.