In a significant development corruption cases under several sections were filed against 10 top Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) functionaries-including a former Ranji Player on Wednesday night at Crime Branch .
The TCA which had been in the throes of controversies and ugly groupisms got embroiled in a significant corruption scandal recently which even forced the High Court to intervene.
The 10 key individuals facing charges related to corruption and financial irregularities were former secretary Tapash Ghosh, former vice-president Timir Chanda—also a Ranji Player, former treasurer Joylal Das, executive engineer Tarun Kumar Das, assistant engineer Arunabha Nath, assistant engineer Rahad Sarkar, former member of TCA’s Apex Council Sumanta Deb Roy, zonal sales manager of M/s Signify Innovations India Ltd. Indranil Putatunda, M/s Signify Innovations India Ltd. of Kolkata, and M/s Lighting Solution of Kolkata.
The case, filed at the Crime Branch invoked IPC sections 120(B), 409, and 420, implicates the high-ranking officials and other individuals mainly dwelt on misappropriation of funds.
The corruption allegations revolved around the installation of LED floodlights at the cricket stadium. It was alleged that the accused persons dishonestly and fraudulently misappropriated funds, leading to a loss of over Rs. 7 crore for the Tripura Cricket Association. These financial irregularities came to light during an inquiry conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the instructions of the High Court of Tripura, officials said.
It was said in the 14 pages big FIR that the accused persons cheated Tripura Cricket Association in execution of Design, Testing and Installation of LED lights ( floodlights). It was alleged : While this one project itself cost loss of more than Rs 7 Crore to TCA which accused persons otherwise gained wrongfully, It was alleged that there were instances of several other financial irregularities detected in course of enquiry carried out by the SIT on the instruction of Ld High Court of Tripura
Given the severity of the allegations and the involvement of high-ranking officials, there are possibilities that the accused persons named in the FIR might face arrest in connection with the irregularities.
The scandal underscores the deep-rooted issues within the TCA, including controversies and groupisms, which plagued the association for a significant period and had now culminated in criminal charges against some of its top leaders.
