The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the state’s sports secretary to appear before it via video conferencing on August 17 to respond to a petition alleging corruption and irregularities in the functioning of the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand.
The sports secretary was asked to appear before the court by a double bench comprising Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal who heard the PIL on Thursday.
The petition, filed by Dehradun-based RTI activist and lawyer Vikesh Singh Negi, said the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU), after its election in 2019, charged large sums of money from players for their selection and for allowing them to play in other places.
There have been financial irregularities, including manipulation of bills, it alleged.
The PIL claimed that a bill of Rs 32 lakh was submitted by the CAU for buying bananas and there was a water bill of Rs 22 lakh.
The petition alleged that players are facing mental harassment which had forced them to play for other states. There are several cases registered against the board officials for irregularities and sexual harassment, it claimed.
The petitioner prayed that these be investigated under the supervision of a committee of three retired judges of the high court.
In his petition, Negi urged for a ban on the officials involved in scams from participating in board elections and strict action against them.
He also urged for dissolving of the board and appointing administrators in place of board officials.
