Baroda CA suspends Patel, ex-BCCI secy to move court

Former BCCI president N Srinivasan on Tuesday received another jolt as one of his closest confidant Sanjay Patel was removed from his primary membership by the Baroda Cricket Association on allegations of financial irregularities.

However Patel is not taking things lying down as he is all set to take legal recourse to revoke the decision of the BCA’s managing committee taken on the day. Former Test opener and Patel’s bete noire Angshuman Gaekwad said, “Sanjay Patel’s primary membership has been cancelled for financial irregularities. There was a sanction of Rs 25 lakh for renovation of dressing room and BCA office. However the bills ran upto Rs 89 lakh. No approval was sought for spending such amount. Therefore the managing committee decided to suspend the primary membership of Patel, Arun Gandhi (another secretary and treasurer Sachin Dalvi after an inquiry committee headed by Anant Tendulkar submitted the report. 

Patel on his part said, “I will be moving court. I am not surprised as Angshuman and my differences go back a long way. I will obviously move court as these are bbasurd allegations. Also let me tell you when rs 89 lakh was spent, everyone from president Chirayu Amin to all other members were aware about it.” 

On the day, Baroda Cricket Association president Samarjeetsin Gekwad was conducting the meeting with 23 items on the agenda including discussion on inquiry committee report. “He (Samarjeetsinh Gaekwad) adjourned the meeting saying he had not received copy of the report of the inquiry committee. At this juncture, I pointed out that’s it’s there in BCA’s email but we can’t get a hard copy of it as its a secret document,” Angshuman narrated the event.

“President Gaekwad did not agree with it and left adjouring the meeting. His five supporters in the committee also followed him.” BCA secretary Gaekwad said,”The 16 out of total 22 members present in the meeting, decided to continue the meeting and appointed J T Patel vice-president of BCA to preside over this meeting.”