PANJIM: As expected, the Sanguem BJP legislator Subash Phaldesai flexed his muscle using government machinery to see that the special general body meeting of the Goa Cricket Association (GCA), called to discuss the allegations of financial irregularities, was adjourned.
Former treasurer Vilas Desai in his complaint has alleged financial irregularity committed by three members — President Chetan Desai, Secretary Vinod Phadke and Treasurer Akbar Mulla — to the tune of Rs 3.13 crore by creating a fake account in the DCB Bank.
In view of this the GCA had convened a Special General Body Meeting to decide on the future course of action on the FIR lodged by former treasurer Vilas Desai with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Goa Police.
However, the meeting had to be adjourned after the rival group, led by the Sanguem MLA Subash Phaldesai and Vilas, tried to gatecrash into the GCA premises along with a violent mob of around 200 people.
As they were denied entry for the meeting the group started shouting slogans against the managing committee members. Following the ruckus, the police were summoned.
“The managing committee should resign immediately till their names are cleared by the investigating authorities. Chetan, Phadke and Mulla have no right to continue in office,” shouted the protestors.
“Porvorim Police Inspector Jivba Dalvi requested us to adjourn the meeting as it would have created a law and order situation,” GCA secretary Vinod Phadke told Herald.
Asked why they were denied entry for the meeting, Phadke said, “Due to space constraints we had issued a public notice on June 4 requesting life members and clubs to register their names if they were interested in attending the meeting.”
“Accordingly, only the people who had registered their names were allowed to enter and none of the people who were shouting outside had registered their names,” Phadke said.
GCA president Chetan Desai said “as a matter of respect to the MLA, we in fact told him you come in along with 10-20 members but he refused to and wanted all 200-300 people in.”
“Where could we accommodate them?” he asked.
