BCCI treasurer questions Saba Karim's UK visit

The Committee of Administrators (CoA), which often questions BCCI office bearers' foreign visits, was today put in a tight corner after treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhry raised questions with regards to GM (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim's impending tour of UK.

Treasurer Chaudhry has apparently asked the reasons for sanctioning Dearness Allowance (DA) of USD 4050 for a period of nine days for Karim and sought supporting documents for the visit.

Karim's Dearness Allowness per day is INR Rs 30,000 per day (approximately), which is exclusive of the hotel tariff.

The treasurer, in his e-mail to the CoA (a copy of which is in possession of PTI) has also drawn a parallel with how the administrators had stopped secretary's UK visit during the T20 series, citing that he won't add any value.

"I have received an e-mail for signing a letter to be sent to M/s Thomas Cook for the release of foreign exchange to Mr. Syed Saba Karim for his D.A. of an amount equal to USD 4,050/- for his proposed visit to the United Kingdom for a period of 9 days," the treasurer wrote.

The treasurer said that even though he would be signing Karim's sanctioned DA bill but he had four specific questions for Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji.

"Firstly, the supporting documents that show the purpose of his visit to the United Kingdom and the decision-making process thereof and any invitation from ECB or any communication to the ECB prior to the approval regarding the same.

Secondly, "the supporting documents showing that the approvals are in place. The third issue is about "information as to whether any other staff has visited the United Kingdom recently."
Lastly, "the possibility that if there was any such travel recently, could such staff person travelling, not have done the work that Karim may be travelling for?"