Bihar cricket body moves contempt plea against BCCI officials

The Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Board of Control for Cricket in India's acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and others for allegedly violating the apex court's orders.

CAB alleged that Choudhary, Rajesh Verma, secretary of Jharkhand State Cricket Association, Asirbad Behera, secretary of Orissa Cricket Association, and Baldev Singh Bhatia, president of Chattisgarh State Cricket Association, had committed "gross contempt" of the court's orders.

CAB, in its petition through its secretary Aditya Prakash Verma, has alleged that the top court had disqualified certain office-bearers of BCCI and state associations to forthwith demit and cease to hold office.

"The respondents have knowingly and intentionally breached the orders of this court by chairing and attending the Special General Meeting of the BCCI held on April 18 held at Hotel ITC Maurya, New Delhi," the plea alleged.

It claimed that Choudhary had not only invited the disqualified members from all state associations to attend the special general meeting, but also chaired and allowed the disqualified members to attend the meeting in his presence.

"It is important to mention that it was the duty of the Amitabh Choudhary, who is the acting secretary of the BCCI, to ensure that no disqualified member of the state cricket association was allowed to attend and participate in the said special general meeting," it alleged.

The apex court, on January 3, had clarified that a person shall be disqualified from being an office-bearer of BCCI if he or she has been in the cash-rich cricket board or any of the state association for a cumulative period of nine years.

It had on March 24 clarified that an office-bearer in a state cricket body for a period of nine years cannot be disqualified from holding a post in apex cricket body BCCI and vice-versa.

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Image: BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary

Photograph: BCCI