Former India cricketer Kirti Azad’s relentless battle against the Delhi cricket administrators is yielding results, with the government ordering an inspection of Delhi and District Cricket Association’s (DDCA) account books.
BJP MP Azad has vehemently opposed the DDCA’s functioning, going to the extent of staging a dharna (a peaceful demonstration). He raised a question on September 6, alleging the body of financial irregularities, irregular purchases, injudicious spending of funds and payment of honorariums against the provisions of the Articles of Association among other things.
In a written reply, the Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, RPN Singh, informed that the inspection of the account books and other records of the company under Section 209 A of the Companies Act of 1956 has been ordered. Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is expected to start its investigation next week. It will peruse the accounts of the last eight years, which roughly coincide with the entire tenure of DDCA’s contentious renovation activities.
Azad had moved a privilege motion in the Lok Sabha against the false reply submitted by Ministry of Urban Development (MUD). The MUD’s reply clearly states there is no valid lease executed between MUD and the DDCA to conduct any activity at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium. DDCA, it has emerged, hasn’t renewed the lease to conduct cricketing activities at the Kotla since 2000.
Reportedly, DDCA has so far spent over Rs 100 crore on the construction of Kotla during this period. DDCA general secretary Sneh Bansal declined to comment. “We’ll answer every query as and when we will be asked to do so. It’s too premature to react,” he said.
