CSK de-merger, ACSU positions on agenda of BCCI meeting
Chennai Super Kings’ valuation and Neeraj Kumar and Madhusudan Sharma’s proposed appointments as anti-corruption consultants are going to be the key issues at the BCCI working committee meeting in Kolkata on Sunday. This is going to be the first working committee meeting of the cricket board following a change of guard at the AGM on February 5.
On Monday, a BCCI media release said: “The (IPL) GC supported the recommendation of president, BCCI, to propose the appointment of Neeraj Kumar, former commissioner of police, Delhi, and Madhusudan Sharma, IPS, as consultants to further strengthen the Anti-Corruption Unit of BCCI.”
Problem is that some of the members are far from satisfied as they feel IPL governing council doesn’t have the authority discuss such issues. “Only working committee is empowered to take such decisions. It is the highest body of the BCCI and no announcement should be made without its permission,” said a member from East Zone. “We will raise the issue on Sunday,” he said.
Also, there could be a conflict of interest angle to the story, as this paper reported earlier this week. Records maintained by the Registrar of Companies have linked Kumar’s younger daughter Ankita to three business entities promoted by the IPL governing council chairman Rajeev Shukla’s wife Anurradha Prasad. Both Shukla and Prasad, however, claimed that Ankita had resigned from all three positions linked to the companies. Kumar blamed “an oversight” for his daughter’s name being linked with the companies. But it is learnt that BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya has asked for details and the matter will come up for discussion on Sunday.
As for CSK, which has been reportedly valued at Rs 5 lakh as a part of its de-merger from the parent company India Cements, some BCCI members are raising objections. “The process had been started without the working committee’s approval. The valuation is a little weird, but we will come to that later. A company can lower the base price of its share, but did they (CSK) have working committee’s consent for a de-merger,” a member, who will attend Sunday’s meeting, asked.
A Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) official said nothing had been done illegally. TNCA has nominated its vice-president PS Raman, ex-advocate general of Tamil Nadu, to attend the working committee meeting.
Ganguly donates pension
Yesterday, he called Ankit Keshri’s father Rajkumar to offer condolences. On Friday, at Cricket Association Bengal’s (CAB) finance committee meeting, Sourav Ganguly decided to give away his annual pension from the cricket board to Keshri’s family. “This is a personal decision. I get a certain amount from BCCI as pension. I will give it to Ankit’s family this year. From the next year onwards, it will be given to CAB for the treatment of injured players,” said the former India captain, who’s a joint-secretary of the state cricket association.
As per BCCI’s pension scheme, former Test cricketers get Rs 4,20,000 annually. Keshri’s father appreciated the gesture. “Heartfelt thanks to him. But I want a trophy to be instituted in Ankit’s name,” said Rajkumar.
