Blow for resurgent Dalmiya as embezzlement charges resurface

“During our investigations it has been found that Dalmiya along with his secretary K M Chaudhary and Gautam Dutta were involved in the misappropriation of Rs 2,90,04,214 from one IndCom account of the BCCI. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There were a total of 5 IndCom accounts set up by the BCCI, in which an amount of Rs 47.34 crore was deposited for official use. We have found that a total of Rs 47.16 crore has been spent from these accounts from 1997 to February 2006. Our investigations are on into the transactions from the remaining four IndCom accounts. The actual amount misappropriated might be much higher,” said Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Rakesh Maria.

But Jagmohan Dalmoya denied any wrongdoing. “All sorts of allegations can be made. If the Crime Branch is saying all this, let them come forward with hard documentary evidence to prove the allegations,” he told The Indian Express.

According to Maria, the EOW will file a chargesheet against Dalmiya, Chaudhary and Dutta on March 26 on charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust and and criminal conspiracy. “Since our investigations are still on, there is every possibility that Dalmiya may be questioned again if needed,” said Maria.

The latest development comes as a huge blow not just for Dalmiya, but for the entire Dalmiya-backed lobby in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). Ever since the court lifted a life ban imposed on him by the BCCI last year, Dalmiya has been slowly regaining lost ground in the Kolkata Maidan. With him openly backing the opposition in recent wrangles concerning the IPL, Dalmiya’s growing presence has been giving the Prasun Mukherjee-led CAB a few worries. The grapevine even said that Dalmiya was planning to stage a comeback to cricket administration at the CAB polls this July.

For legal expenses

During the 1996 cricket World Cup hosted by the Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan cricket boards, the organizing committee had set up a PILCom account in a bank in London . The Income-Tax department filed 64 cases against this account. To pay the legal expenses in fighting these cases, the BCCI set up IndCom accounts.

According to the Crime Branch, the crores allegedly misappropriated by Dalmiya and his associates was withdrawn from IndCom account number 1223 opened at the Bhowanipore branch of the Indian Overseas Bank in Kolkata. The amount was withdrawn to allegedly meet various ‘personal expenses’ such as hotel stays, foreign exchange purchases, and telephone bills.

“The IndCom account was for exclusive operation by Dalmiya only. He changed the account name to ‘World Cup 1996 account’ without any resolution, and also appointed Chaudhary as an authorized signatory illegally. Dutta, whose company was allegedly supplying car rentals and stationary to the BCCI could not produce any proof of these supplies. The cars he allegedly rented were two-wheelers and trucks,” said Maria.

Dalmiya, who reacted angrily at the latest turn of events, held the Sharad Pawar-led BCCI administration responsible of trying to harrass him. “It’s the old gameplan of my adversaries. Whenever something happens in cricket politics, they resort to such actions to settle scores with me,” he said.