Kotla renovation: CAB urges action against BCCI official

The Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) on Wednesday sought action against BCCI joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary for claiming before the court that the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium has been renovated at a cost of Rs.450 crore.

In a letter to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar, CAB secretary Aditya Verma, referring to Chaudhary's counter affidavit before the Jharkhand High Court, said a false claim made by an office bearer of the BCCI was tantamount to damaging the reputation of the board.

Chaudhary, also the president of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), had filed the affidavit in a public interest litigation filed by one Rajesh Kumar, seeking action against JSCA for having "converted the international cricket stadium into a commercial venture".

"...the newly built J.S.C.A. stadium at Ranchi despite having a unique design and having been built on a rocky and inhospitable terrain has been built at a lower cost than the others. By way of illustration, as per media reports which is yet to be denied by the DDCA, the Ferozeshah Kotla which is a very old cricket stadium of the country has undergone phase wise renovation at a cost of about Rs. 450 crores," Chaudhary has stated in the affidavit filed in September.

In his letter to Manohar, Verma said: "The Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium has been renovated at minimum appropriate cost of Rs. 114 crore and the statements and details to this effect has also been in the record of the parliament itself.

"It is surprising and shocking as to how Amitabh Chaudhary is swearing affidavit on false statements as if there is expense of Rs. 450 crore in the renovation and construction of the stadium," said Verma.

"It is anticipated that the BCCI will take cognizance of the matter in totality and will take appropriate action against the Joint Secretary, Amitabh Chaudhary," added Verma.

The move comes in the wake of union finance minister Arun Jaitley facing graft allegations in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) which he headed for 13 years till 2013.