PANJIM: Eight members of the managing committee headed by the senior vice president Dr Shekhar Salkar at a meeting held Thursday resolved to appoint Adv Dhaktu Pal as the arbitrator to resolve the ongoing dispute among the governing body in the controversy ridden association.
The members demanded that strict action be taken against the GCA secretary Chetan Dessai for bypassing the managing committee and ignoring the bylaws of the association with regard to the reply filed by the him on behalf of the GCA to the show-cause notice served by the Sports Authority of Goa and for filing a petition in the High Court staying the investigation into the alleged illegalities of the association. The meeting was called by the joint secretary Atul Naik.
The eight members are embroiled in a bitter fight with the group headed by the association president Vinod Balu Phadke and secretary Chetan Dessai for control of the association. The members also decided to fully cooperate with the government appointed investigation committee and have instructed the association members and staff to render all help.
The meeting also decided to suspend three of the staff for indiscipline, insubordination and levelling of false allegations against committee members. A three-member disciplinary committee has been appointed to go into the charges.
Payments to the players for individual performances which were stopped for two years will be released from this season onwards.
Meanwhile, the eight-member faction has said that they have complained to the Service Tax department asking them to examine the alleged fraud committed in the purchase of floodlights for the association’s cricket stadium at Porvorim.
“The office of the company that supplied the floodlights has given its office address as the GCA office. Also I have gone to their website and GCA is not listed there as a purchaser,” Dr Shekhar Salkar told the media at a press conference, adding, “We have complained to the Service Tax department about the irregularities.”
“The office (address given) is the GCA office address. The same lights have been fixed for the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium for Rs 2.62 crore. He we paid Rs 4.62 crore,” Salkar alleged.
He also said that the Income Tax department is also investigating the finances of the GCA. In case they decide to fine us we will not have the money to pay the fines.
According to officials, the CBI is also investigating the matter from tax evasion angle as a lot of money of the GCA was withdrawn by way of self cheques.
Vilas Dessai, the treasurer also alleged that there was irregularity in the purchase of the score board alleging that the digital scoreboard was picked up after it was discarded by the Karnataka Cricket Association while the LED score board’s technology is outdated.
Dessai also said that land admeasuring 2,92,900 sq mts at Maulinguem, Bicholim, had been purchased and the sale deeds are in their possession.
