Some DDCA directors trying to scuttle cricket season: HC told

Some directors of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) are wilfully trying to "scuttle" the ongoing domestic season, Justice Mukul Mudgal today told Delhi High Court and sought urgent orders to the cricketing body to implement the directions he has issued since August 22.

The retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, who was appointed by Delhi High Court to oversee DDCA's functioning, alleged that some members had also used "inappropriate and intemperate language" against him in their emails to him.

In a report submitted before a bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Deepa Sharma, Justice (Retd) Mudgal has said "there has been a deliberate and wilful attempt to scuttle the domestic cricket season 2016-2017".

He has said in the report that three members of DDCA -- Subhash Sharma, Dinesh Sharma and Ravi Jain, have refused to sign the payment note authorising payments to coaches, managers and selectors.

"The payments of selectors, coaches and managers for the present domestic season and the expenses for the teams have been withheld despite clear and unequivocal directions by me to honour the agreements," he has said and added that this would "adversely affect the domestic season of Delhi cricket and careers of several young cricketers." 

"The signatories have declined to sign the payment notes and the cheques prepared for payments subsequent to my approval, directly contravening not only court orders but affecting the domestic season of Delhi cricket by their obdurate and persistent disregard for directions issued by me on the facile ground of non-approval by the executive committee," the report said.

It was placed before the bench on behalf of Mudgal by advocate Nitin Mishra, who requested the court to consider the report while delivering its verdict.

The court on September 27 had reserved its verdict in the matter which pertains to DDCA's 2010 plea for an occupancy certificate from South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to hold matches at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium.

The High Court had constituted Justice Mudgal committee in the backdrop of alleged irregularities in the functioning of DDCA.  Justice Mudgal also submitted that the Registrar of Companies on October 24 had rejected DDCA’s application for extension of time to hold a Annual General Meeting slated for September 30 when the tenure of the cricketing body’s members was to end.

As per the report, the executive committee of DDCA on September 29 passed a resolution changing the composition of the office-bearers who would act as authorised signatories to clear bills, vouchers and other such things.

Apart from the “transgressions” regarding payments, the report said Justice Mudgal received emails from Vinod Tihara, Convenor of Sports Working Committee, adversely commenting upon his conduct by using “inappropriate and intemperate language”.

Justice Mudgal sought directions to DDCA that all the directions issued by him from August 22 till date should be fully complied with, the agreements entered into during his tenure be fully honoured and payments made therefor, not later than one week of the receipt of such bills/invoices.

Justice Mudgal has also sought directions to DDCA “to cease and desist from making any disbursement of funds for any purpose whatsoever until the payments for the current domestic cricket season, including those of the selectors, coaches and managers, the pending bills of the matches conducted during his tenure and any other statutory payments are made”.