Domestic Cricket: Bihar CA suspends Aditya Verma's son for two years

The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) has handed a two-year suspension to original IPL petitioner Aditya Verma's son Lakhan Raja for alleged participation in an unsanctioned tournament as well as a corporate tournament, without prior approval.

Lakhan had sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play for another state but the BCCI has also decided against issuing it to the player.

Verma alleged that Bihar CA secretary Rabi Shankar Prasad has made his son a "scapegoat" due to their bitter rivalry.

Verma is the secretary of the unrecognised Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) while BCCI has recognised the Bihar CA as the parent body of state cricket.

"My son played in Hyderabad Cricket League for India Cements and suddenly he was handed a suspension letter that he did not seek prior approval of Bihar CA. He was not even show caused and straightaway suspended, which is in violation of principles of natural justice. I have already filed a case against unlawful suspension," Verma told PTI today.

When Lakhan wrote to BCCI seeking NOC to play for another state, GM (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim told him that the board won't provide him with requisite approval unless he gets green light from his home state (All the documents are in possession of PTI).

The Bihar CA president Gopal Bohra in his letter cited the reason for Lakhan's suspension.

"Firstly you played/participated in a cricket tournament which was not affiliated/registered either by your home state cricket association, i.e. Bihar Cricket Association or the BCCI, which shows your purposeful negligence regarding the rules governing the conduct of tournaments and registration.

"Secondly, and much to our astonishment, you again violated the rules by playing in a domestic league tournament of another state association in the same session, i.e. Hyderabad Cricket Association's A1 Division League representing team India Cements , without getting a prior permission /information from us," Bohra wrote.

Bohra also reminded him that he has signed self declaration form of the state association, barring him from playing unsanctioned tournaments.

"So as per guidelines and rules of the BCCI regarding the registration of a player, the COM of Bihar Cricket Association in its meeting dated 23/08/2018, has clearly made a decision that Mr. Lakhan Raja is suspended for upcoming two domestic seasons, i.e. 2018-19 and 2019-20, and thereby no NOC shall be issued to him," Bohra added.