Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 7: The State High Court today refrained the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) led by Youth Services and Sports Minister Imran Raza Ansari to use and utilize the money which has been transferred by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the name of association.
The court of Special Judge Anti Corruption Srinagar (CBI cases) had ordered for release of 34 CCRs which is approximately Rs 23 crores in favour of the Ansari association.
“Accordingly, this allocation is allowed and 34 CCRs are ordered to be released in favour of J&K Cricket Association through its general secretary”, Anti-Corruption has ordered.
Challenging the said order by JKCA faction led by Dr Farooq Abdullah through his General Secretary M L Nehru, the single bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir stayed the order of trial court. “…impugned order dated: 19.3.2016 is stayed till next date of hearing”, court directed and subsequently issued notice to CBI counsel in High Court advocate S A Makroo for filing of objection on next date.
In its application before the trial Court JKCA faction led by Ansari through its general secretary Iqbal Shah and treasurer Sheikh Abdul Rouf was seeking release of those CCRs besides other submissions that the employees working with the association are without salary for months together.
“So CCRs may be released so that salary can be paid to the employees and the same can be utilized for day to day expenses of the cricketing activities in the State”, submits Shah and Sheikh before the trial court.
These CCRs were seized by the police after JKCA scam unearthed and misappropriation of funds in JKCA in which FIR 27/12 u/s 120-B, 406, 409 RPC came to be registered in police station Ram Munshi Bagh, during the course of investigation of the said FIR police seized the bank accounts of the association including the CCRs, resultantly the BCCI stopped all the payments due to the association.
The High Court in the month of September last year while deciding the PIL filed by two cricket players seeking probe into multi-crore scam in JKCA handed over the investigation to CBI and CBI seized these CCRs from the SP east zone Srinagar.
CBI in its reply before trial court submitted that the investigation as directed by the High Court is under process and case has been registered by CBI New Delhi on 21.9.2015 and no fraud has happened with these CCRs.
Trial court in view of the submissions made at bar by both parties (Iqbal Shah and CBI) said it will be in the interest of justice and development of cricketing activities in the state in case the 34 CCRs are released in favour of JKCA.
Petitioner Nehru in his petition submitted that trial court at Jammu had upheld the association led by Dr Farooq Abdullah as in tune with the constitution of JKCA as its term is yet to be expired as such these CCRs worth Rs 23 crores be not released in favour of anybody as there are various cases pending before various courts including the High Court in which the legality and validity of the new association (led by Ansari) has been challenged.
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