New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) came under the spotlight with officers of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs, visiting its premises on Monday to verify documents, including those of membership, and look into the accounts and other complaints lodged by former cricketer Kirti Azad.
The investigating officers, who were at the premises from 10 in the morning till late in the evening spoke to various officials and looked into the documents.
"There is a case of fraud in membership," said Azad. "Most of the office-bearers have ensured that as many as 10-50 proxies are diverted to their own residences with/without the knowledge of former members, many of who are defaulters for non-payment of annual subscription fees," he said.
Among other complaints lodged by Azad and which are likely to be investigated are disparity in payments and lack of cash registers or dak registers, lack of system of tendering and the club restaurant that has reportedly cost Rs. 1.5 crore but hasn't yet started despite being completed two years ago.
DDCA officials remain unperturbed and say that the list of members provided by Azad is tampered and isn't original.
"The membership list is tampered and we have already given the original list to the authorities," said DDCA secretary-general Sneh Bansal.
He admitted that the SFIO personnel and Regional Director, Northern Region, Ministry of Corporate Affairs visited the premises.
"Allegations made by Kirti Azad are frivolous in nature. We have already made our relevant submissions with the competent authorities and all due clarifications, if any, will also be provided. As far as the fabricated membership list that has been produced by Mr Kirti Azad is concerned, it is factually incorrect and does not match with the actual records of DDCA," Bansal said.
Published by HT Syndication with permission from Hindustan Times.