Another blow for Srinivasan; Baroda CA suspends Sanjay Patel

Former Board of Control for Cricket in president Narayanswami Srinivasan suffered another jolt on Tuesday as one of his closest confidantes, Sanjay Patel, was stripped of his primary membership by the Baroda Cricket Association on allegations of financial irregularities.

However, Patel is not taking things lying down. He is all set to take legal recourse to revoke the decision of BCA's managing committee.

Former Test opener and Patel's bete noire Aunshuman Gaekwad said, "Sanjay Patel's primary membership has been cancelled for financial irregularities. There was a sanction of Rs 25 lakh for renovation of dressing room and BCA office. However, the bills ran upto Rs 89 lakh. No approval was sought for spending such amount.

"Therefore the managing committee decided to suspend the primary membership of Patel, Arun Gandhi (another secretary) and treasurer, Sachin Dalvi, after an inquiry committee, headed by Anant Tendulkar, submitted the report," Gaekwad added.

Patel on his part said: "I will be moving court. I am not surprised as Aunshuman and my differences go back a long way. I will obviously move court as these are absurd allegations. Also, let me tell you when Rs 89 lakh was spent, everyone from president Chirayu Amin to all other members were aware about it."

On the day, BCA president Samarjeetsinh Gaekwad was conducting the meeting with 23 items on the agenda, including discussion on the inquiry committee report.

"He (Samarjeetsinh Gaekwad) adjourned the meeting saying he had not received a copy of the report of the inquiry committee. At this juncture, I pointed out that's it's there in BCA's e-mail but we can't get a hard copy of it as it's a secret document," BCA secretary Anshuman said.

"President Gaekwad did not agree with it and left adjourning the meeting. His five supporters in the committee also followed him. The 16 out of total 22 members present in the meeting decided to continue the meeting and appointed J T Patel, vice-president of BCA, to preside over this meeting."

Image: Sanjay Patel.

Photograph: BCCI