BCCI administrators target treasurer in its 6th status report to Supreme Court on Lodha reforms

In its sixth status report dated January 24, 2017, the Committee of Administrators has clearly identified treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry as a hurdle in implementing the recommendations of the Justice RM Lodha committee on the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The matter will come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday (January 29).

Chaudhry is in the eye of a storm as the BCCI CEO (Rahul Johri) and CFO (Santosh Rangnekar) have filed separate affidavits in the Supreme Court alleging that the treasurer, among other things, made death threats for following directions from Justice Lodha’s office.

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Chaudhry said allegations against him were “false” and he had already submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court on December 13 denying the charges. “I am being made out to be a villain, which I am not,” he said.

Senior Board officials said the CoA was getting increasingly frustrated because a clutch of BCCI officials like Chaudhry were taking advantage of the situation and trying to run a “parallel administration” by virtue of the old constitution.

Most conflicts between the treasurer and the CEO/CFO arise out of financial transactions. The status report says that Chaudhry signed financial documents for the year 2016-17 “under protest”.

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“I am being singled out by the CoA because I am the only one asking questions. Once they can see me out, the CoA, CEO and CFO will do anything they want. My emails are being misinterpreted,” said Chaudhry, adding that he had “never for once challenged or tried to disobey the Lodha committee recommendations” and that he was merely expressing his views.

There have been at least 16 hearings on the Lodha committee reforms and in the absence of a clear-cut order from the Supreme Court on the new constitution, the BCCI has been caught on a sticky wicket. The new constitution has strict clauses on age, tenure and voting patterns.

“The stance of the Lodha panel to get rid of the three office-bearers remains intact. When they will be asked to go is the question,” said a senior BCCI official. The Supreme Court had earlier booted out president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke.

The BCCI is virtually in the grip of ‘acting’ officials. “In the absence of fresh elections, they will continue to enjoy all the perks,” said an official.