Azad, Bedi move HC to appoint administrator for DDCA

Former India cricketers Kirti Azad and Bishan Singh Bedi on Monday moved the Delhi High Court demanding the appointment of an independent administrator to look into alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

Azad, a suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, impleaded the central and state governments, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) besides all current and former DDCA officials, including its former president, union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The plea was filed by Azad, Bedi, Maninder Singh, Dronacharya awardee cricket coach Gurcharan Singh and two others, sought direction to the central government to cancel the privileges like subsidised land that have been extended to DDCA and to ensure that no loss is caused to exchequer.

BJP has suspended Azad for his attack on Jaitley and served him a show cause notice, asking why he should not be expelled.

The plea sought direction for an investigation by a SIT or a court-monitored investigation by CBI to look into the criminal offence committed by DDCA officials.

"The petitioners apprehend that the CBI will not be able to conduct a free and fair investigation of allegations made against DDCA, especially since Arun Jaitley, during whose tenure as president most of the allegations pertain to, is presently a senior cabinet minister in the union council of ministers and is also the leader of the house is the Rajya Sabha," it said.