India vs Pak ticket scam comes to light at MCA AGM

It is learnt that MCA joint-secretary PV Shetty had written a letter to GCA for 150 tickets and these tickets were collected by MCA treasurer Mayank Khandwala.

One hundred and fifty tickets for the India versus Pakistan Twenty20 International held in Ahmedabad on December 28 were issued to the Mumbai Cricket Association MCA but this came to light only during its Annual General Body meeting held on Friday.

Ratnakar Shetty,a member of the MCA and the Indian cricket boards game development manager,informed the AGM that the Gujarat Cricket Association GCA had issued 150 tickets after it got a written request on an MCA letterhead. The MCA had also paid for these tickets.

It is learnt that MCA joint-secretary PV Shetty had written a letter to GCA for 150 tickets and these tickets were collected by MCA treasurer Mayank Khandwala. However,most of the managing committee members were unaware of the request for tickets on behalf of the MCA and were unaware that the payment for the tickets were made from the MCA bank account.

For a T20 International one of the members from managing committee took 150 tickets and MCA paid money for it. Where did those tickets go? Was it sold in the black market or was a third party involved, Shetty said at the AGM.

GCA treasurer Dhiraj Jogani confirmed to the The Indian Express that 150 tickets were issued on the request of the MCA. MCA had sent their request and we gave them the tickets. We usually do it whenever we receive any request from West Zone associations, Jogyani said.

Costly purchase

Shetty said that the total cost of the tickets were over Rs 1 lakh.

As per the BCCI guideline each association can buy tickets for its members but here tickets were bought but it was done without the knowledge of any of its members. Who got the tickets? Nobody knows. And why did the MCA pay for the tickets? The MCA got back the money in the bank account only after three weeks, Shetty asked.

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MCA president Ravi Savant assured the managing committee that a proper inquiry would be held.

Prize money cut

The bankrupt MCA has reduced the prize money for the Ranji Trophy winners from Rs 3 crore to Rs 2crore. After Mumbai won their 40th Ranji Trophy title,the MCA had announced a cash prize of a total of Rs 3 crore to the players and support staff. However,lack of funds has resulted in the Mumbai CricketAssociation reducing the amount of prize money for the Ranji Trophy-winning side.