Pratyush Raj (Indian Express)
Over Rs 1.74 crore for food and catering including Rs 35 lakh for bananas; Rs 49.5 lakh for daily allowances; 11 crores spent during covid lockdown; non-payment of dues of players; Sly selection policies, extortion and death threats. The Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU/Uttarakhand Cricket Association) has been accused of financial irregularities to intimidation of players. The police has tightened its grip in this case.
Uttarakhand Police has questioned CAU secretary Mahim Verma, team head coach Manish Jha and association spokesperson Sanjay Gusain after the father of a former India Under-19 cricketer lodged an FIR for alleged extortion and death threats.
Dehradun SSP Janmejay Khanduri told The Indian Express, “In the last three days, we have called Mahim Verma, Manish Jha and Sanjay Gusain separately. We have questioned them. We have taken their statements. If necessary, this process will be followed again.
An FIR has been registered at Vasant Vihar police station in Dehradun under IPC sections criminal conspiracy (120B), intentional causing hurt (323), extortion (384), willful insult (504) and non-cognizable offense (506) Is.
Former U-19 player Arya Sethi’s father and complainant Virendra Sethi has alleged that his son was threatened with death by Manish Jha, team manager Navneet Mishra and video analyst Piyush Raghuvanshi during the Vijay Hazare tournament last year.
In this regard, when The Indian Express spoke to the players and checked the records, it was found that in the audit report of Uttarakhand Cricket Association (CAU) dated March 31, 2020, Rs 1,74,07,346 for food-catering and for daily allowance 49,58,750 is shown. This includes Rs 35 lakh for bananas and Rs 22 lakh for water bottles.
Jay Shah with Mahim Verma at Dehradun Stadium. (Twitter/Jay Shah)
Players point to non-payment or short payment of dues. (Rs.100 is paid as DA, while the mandatory amount is Rs.1,500). Players say that food is not being provided during tournaments and training camps.
It is worth noting here that a total of several lakhs of rupees are spent on these items in the accounts of the Association, such as bananas and water bottles, even during the Corona epidemic. Robin Bisht confirmed Virendra Sethi’s allegations. Robin Bisht is an outside professional for the Uttarakhand team.
Robin Bisht recently recalled an incident before the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Mumbai. Robin Bisht said, “We returned to the team hotel and after our recovery session at the pool, went for lunch. Then the hotel staff said that they refused to serve us food.
Robin Bisht said, ‘The hotel staff told us that we have been asked not to serve food. When we called up the team manager, he replied, “Order something from Swiggy or Zomato or stay hungry.” If you do not eat food for a day, you will not die.
Uttarakhand lost the match to Mumbai by 725 runs (world record win margin). Robin Bisht said, ‘The next day, we had a flight to Delhi. After exiting the airport, we again called up our team manager and told that we have to go to Dehradun. Where is our bus? The answer came, book a cab, bus or train. Our job was to take you to Delhi, not your home.’
Independent MLA Umesh Kumar (left) in the Uttarakhand Assembly has also leveled corruption charges against the state cricket association. (Twitter)
Umesh Kumar, an independent MLA in the Uttarakhand Assembly, has also leveled corruption allegations against the state cricket association. Umesh Kumar said, ‘During COVID, the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand distributed Rs 6.5 crore as professional fees. I want to know to whom did he give this money? Before March 2020, the professional fee was around Rs 2.75 crore. Who did lunch and dinner worth Rs 1.27 crore during COVID? I had raised it in Uttarakhand Sadan also. I think BCCI should intervene, there is a lot of corruption going on here.
Uttarakhand Cricket Association’s Vice President Sanjay Rawat and Joint Secretary Avnish Verma have also accused Secretary Mahim Verma and President Jot Singh Gansola of financial irregularities. He has complained to both the state cricket association’s ombudsman and the ethics officer.
Sanjay Rawat said, ‘We have also sent a letter to the BCCI. The Ethics Officer has asked Mahim Verma and Jot Singh Gansola to submit their replies by Thursday. A top BCCI functionary said, “Right now it is a matter related to a state association. If it is taken up in the BCCI Apex Council meeting on July 21, then we will look into it.