SCA asks for early release of funds despite having more than sufficient bank balance

The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) who asked for the early release of funds for conducting all the matches of the upcoming IPL smoothly had Rs. 250 crores in their bank account when they requested for the release. The Committee of Administrators (COA) had mentioned this during their 2nd status report.

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association is not too far away from Saurashtra as they had also requested for release of funds to conduct the 4th and the final Test against Australia at Dharamsala starting on 25th March despite having Rs.65 crores in their bank balance. When the mentioned amount was deposited in the state association’s cash box, Anurag Thakur was at the helm of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. He was later removed as the BCCI President by the Supreme Court.

Saurashtra Cricket Association which was headed by Niranjan Shah had asked for the release of early funds to organise the IPL matches smoothly but the status report given by the COA said that the current/savings account of the association exceeded Rs. 213 crores along with Rs. 42 crores additionally deposited by October 31, 2016.

The COA went on to add how much difficulties they are facing which includes the state cricket associations asking for the release of funds without obeying with the Lodha Committee reforms as per order from the Supreme Court.

The 2nd status which was filed today read, “One of the intransigent state/member association is Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) which has not demonstrated with Honourable Court orders dated October 7, 2016, and October 21, 2016 but has sought funds for smooth conduct of the Test match between India and Australia scheduled to be played from March 25, 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,”