COA asks Bihar factions to prove its legitimacy

With the Supreme Court, in its last hearing, authorising the Committee of Administrators (COA) to take a call on disputed matter in the absence of Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) ombudsman in the Union Territory of Puducherry, it seems the issue of Bihar could also be sorted out soon.

DNA has learnt that the COA has raised doubts over the functioning of the existing Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) in a mail directed at two factions, asking them to provide authentic documents to prove their claim.

While one faction is led by Tejashwi Yadav-backed Ram Kumar, the other is by ruling government-backed Rabi Shankar Prasad Singh.

On January 17, BCA secretary Rabi Shankar sent two mails to the BCCI, stating that "BCA has decided to implement the recommendations of the Justice Lodha panel". BCCI received a list of new office-bearers along with affidavits that the officials named in the list were not disqualified in terms of the SC orders on January 2 and 3.

Subsequently, COA received another email dated April 7 from another faction (email: bihcricketassociation.patna@gmail.com) enclosing a letter mentioning the decisions taken during the emergent meeting of the BCA held on the same day. It included the suspension of, inter alia, Rabi Shankar and the constitution of a five-member 'Steering Committee' comprising former players to run the affairs of the BCA.

This letter has been signed by Kumar as chairperson. Kumar is the childhood coach of Tejashwi and enjoyed the backing of the ruling coalition government of that time.

The same email also encloses copy of a letter addressed by Kumar to the 'Sachiwalay Police Station', containing allegations of misappropriation of BCA funds against Rabi Shankar.

Before COA could reach any conclusion, another email was received (dated June 9) from Rabi Shankar claiming that the BCA has already adopted the recommendations of the Lodha Committee and has also appointed an Ombudsman for redressal of grievances.

But the situation changed dramatically after the Nitish Kumar-led government decided to part ways with Tejashwi's party and allied with the BJP. BCA secretary Ram Kumar is closely associated with a ruling party's powerful minister.

COA has now swung into action after receiving a complaint from Aditya Verma's Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB), the petitioner in SC case, that none of the BCA factions has been registered under either the Societies or Company Act, as mandated by BCCI's constitution.

"We got a complaint from CAB that BCA's registration of Societies Act was cancelled in 2009 by the Bihar government on complaints of funds misappropriation. The similar fact was brought into SC notice during the course of hearing in 2016 by then president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke," a senior BCCI official said.

"COA is now determining the legitimacy of BCA and based on documents it receives in the due course, BCCI would apprise the Court of its decision," the official added.

After the division of Bihar, BCA was dissolved by the full house as per the directions of BCCI under Jagmohan Dalmiya. Yet, the Lalu Prasad Yadav faction continued to work under BCA's name till 2009, when the state government cancelled its Societies Act registration after a three-member committee revealed misappropriation of funds by top officials.

BCA managed to get relief from the IG Registrar Court. However, CAB and the other factions of Bihar cricket challenged the decision in the Patna High Court and got a stay order over the IG Registrar ruling. The matter is still pending in the court and BCA cannot claim to be a registered body.

The only cricket body which is currently registered in the state is CAB (Societies Act Regd. No. is 1389/2007), and with the state government also throwing its weight behind Verma, it will be interesting to see when the COA allows the resumption of full cricketing activities in the state.