Saurashtra CA sought funds to host IPL matches despite having over Rs 250 crore in their account: COA report

New Delhi: The Committee of Administrators (COA), in their second status report, has mentioned that Saurashtra Cricket Association which has in excess of Rs 250 crore in their bank account sought funds to conduct upcoming IPL matches smoothly. Not far behind is Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), who had request for funds to organise fourth India vs Australia Test, starting March 25, despite having Rs 65 crore plus in association’s bank account. [caption id=“attachment_3347768” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Saurashtra Cricket Association. AFP[/caption] Incidentally ousted BCCI president Anurag Thakur was the HPCA boss when the above mentioned amount of fund was deposited in the state association’s coffers while former board secretary Niranjan Shah ran the show in Saurashtra. Saurashtra Cricket Association, which was headed by Shah, has asked for funds to conduct IPL matches but COA Status report mentions that the associations current/savings account has a cumulative amount of over Rs 213 crore as per 31 March, 2016 along with another Rs 42 crore plus deposited by 31 October, 2016. The COA has mentioned about all the difficulties that they have been facing so far which includes how state associations are asking for release of funds without complying with the Lodha Committee reforms, as per Supreme Court order. In their second status report filed on Wednesday, under Annexure C (Point 20) COA states: “One of the intransigent state/member association is Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) which has not demonstrated with Honourable Court orders dated 7 October, 2016 and 21 October, 2016 but has sought funds for smooth conduct of the Test match between India and Australia scheduled to be played from 25 March, 2017 onwards. “It is relevant to note that the HPCA had an amount of Rs 6,26,92,775 (Rupees Six crore Twenty Six lakh Ninety Two thousand Seven hundred and Seventy Five) in current/savings account and deposits as on March 31, 2016, and a further amount of Rs 59,44,30,724 (Rupees Fifty Nine crore Forty Four lakh Thirty thousand Seven hundred and Twenty Four) was remitted by BCCI to HPCA between April 2016 and October 2016. This is without including an additional amount of Rs 16.73 crore that was remitted on October 1, 2016 and has been directed to be kept in term deposit subject directions of this Honourable Court,” as mentioned in the status report. The report also mentions how joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary tried to “resist” the COA from choosing their own legal team. Annexure B Point 10 states: “There was some resistance and interference from Amitabh Chaudhary in permitting Committee of Administrators (COA) to choose the legal team by way of contrary instructions being issued by him which were subsequently withdrawn.”