Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association president Anurag Thakur on Sunday threatened legal action against Ranji Trophy player Jaswant Rai, who recently created a stir by alleging that he was "forced out" of the team in lieu of money.
Rai, a left-arm spinner and middle-order batsman, had claimed that Thakur, who is also the son of former chief minister P K Dhumal, forced him to make way for youngsters by promising that the loan which he had taken from the benevolent fund to the tune of Rs 50,000 would be "waived off".
Denying any wrongdoings, Thakur told reporters at Shimla that "Jaswant Rai had himself asked for the loan from HPCA in view of his pressing financial problems at low rate of interest and requested that the same might be adjusted against the benevolent fund to be paid to him on retirement."
Thakur also showed the copy of the application written by Rai to the HPCA president, requesting for the loan and expressed surprise that how could the player could go the press with such "unfounded and concocted allegations."
He said that as Rai, who played in 75 Ranji matches during a career spanning 15 years, was out of the team for last two years, "his outbursts at this juncture are intriguing."
Thakur said some of the cricketers who were making all sorts of allegations were party to all the decision of the HPCA, including the enrollment of life members.
Reacting to allegations that HPCA is enrolling outsiders, he said that most of the life members were bonafide Himachalis and their enrollment was done on the recommendation of district cricket associations.
Thakur said "some of the state cricketers have turned hostile towards the HPCA after the change of the government in Himachal Pradesh".
He said the budget of the Association was a meagre Rs 20 lakh when he took over as the president which has reached Rs 6 crore during the current year.
Thakur said a world class cricket stadium had been constructed by the HPCA at Dharamsala where Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy matches would be played from this year.