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Probe into PCA affairs stymied

The CBI probe into the multi-crore Punjab Cricket Association scam is not progressing smoothly thanks to roadblocks put up by the cricket body and the Punjab government, according to CBI sources.

Sources indicated that the PCA has submitted incomplete records, giving details of only a few of the bank accounts held by the PCA. One such account, it was revealed, was with the Indian Overseas Bank at Jalandhar Cantt., while another is with United Commercial Bank and the last with the Punjab and Sind Bank.

"It is surprising that the PCA, being a registered boyd, has withdrawn several million rupees through 'self cheques' for varying amounts," sources said. "The purpose of such withdrawals is a mystery which we are looking into."

Interestingly, most of the cheques have been presented by PCA treasurer and member secretary M P Pandove - who also happens to be a member of the national cricket selection committee.

Investigations into the financial dealings of the PCA have also revealed that material for furnishing the inbuilt area of the PCA complex, consisting of lounge, press enclave and three spacious halls were all supplied by a firm registered in the name of the wife of one of the office bearers, and that these materials had been purchased at prices very much above the prevailing market rates.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court was first seized of the matter when a public interest litigation was filed by one Gurbir Singh, who prayed in his suit that PCA President Inderjit Singh Bindra, state chief secretary R S Mann and former principal secretary to the chief minister Bikramjit Singh, against whom the CBI has registered cases, be placed under suspension or sent on long leave during the course of the investigation. The petitioner argued that if this was not done, there was every prospect of the people concerned putting hindrances in the way of the investigations, or suppressing material relevant to the probe.

The suit also prays the court to ensure that the investigating officers are not transferred midway through the probe.

The matter will come up for hearing on May 20, before a divisional bench to be headed by High Court chief justice K Shreedharan.