JKCA in row over cash withdrawals

Significantly,while Rs 3.41 crore were withdrawn by the JKCA through 26 self-drawn cheques ranging from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 80 lakh,it withdrew Rs 1.35 crore through 23 self-drawn cheques ranging from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

While Rs 80 lakh were withdrawn through a single self-drawn cheque on December 3,2009,the JKCA withdrew another Rs 16 lakh through four self-drawn cheques for Rs 4 lakh each from the same branch the same day,the documents show.

The other major withdrawals by the JKCA through self-drawn cheques during 2009 included Rs 30 lakh on April 15,Rs 15 lakh each on April 20 and 22,Rs 40 lakh on April 23,Rs 20 lakh on September 15 and Rs 30 lakh on November 5.

Questioning beneficiaries of these withdrawals,the petitioners,including Avtar Krishan Tickoo,Moti Lal Nehru,Chaman Lal Charangoo,Rajiv Pandita and Ghulam Hassan Khan,representing different cricket clubs have urged the High Court to appoint a receiver to manage the JKCA affairs and quash the election of its office-bearers. They have also raised doubts about the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank by allowing such huge withdrawals through self-drawn cheques.

The High Court has asked the JKCA to submit the statement of its bank account before it on the next date of hearing.

Curiously,the timing raises suspicion as,according to many cricketers,no major cricketing action was on in the Valley when these huge withdrawals happened.

However,Mirza,the JKCA’s present general secretary,denied anything wrong in these withdrawals,maintaining they needed cash to pay for the TA/DA of players,team managers and also various development works undertaken by the organisation. “We had to keep cash for making payments in view of turbulence during 2009 and 2010,” he said.

The petitioners refuse to buy this argument,asking why payments were not made through cheques.

Though none of the self-drawn cheques were signed by Farooq,the petitioners say such huge withdrawals could not have taken place without his knowledge. While Farooq was not available for comment,Goni,also political adviser to the minister,said when the matter came to their notice,he as well as the president instructed both the general secretary and treasurer to make further payments through cheques.