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GCA chief guilty in fake tickets scam: report

Last updated on: December 15, 2003 22:20 IST

An inquiry commission, set up to inquire into the fake ticket scandal that rocked the Goa Cricket Association, has found former Deputy Chief Minister of Goa and GCA president Dayanand Narvekar guilty of being "involved in printing, distribution and selling of fake tickets" and recommended that he should not be allowed to remain part of the association.

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The Pendse Commission, which submitted its report to the state cabinet last week, said in its findings that Narvekar along with two GCA office-bearers -- Ram Shankardas and Vinod Phadke -- was involved in printing, distribution and selling of fake tickets for a One-Day International cricket match between India and Australia on April 6, 2001, at Fatorda, Goa.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar read out the findings of the Commission and said the cabinet accepted its recommendations.

The commission also recommended that the Sports Authority of Goa "may consider withdrawing recognition of the Goa Cricket Association unless and until the entire managing committee vacates office and Narvekar, Phadke and Shankardas do not participate hereinafter in the management of the association".

The commission's report said the "the secretive printing and distribution have enabled circulation of bogus tickets and enriched the coffers of the office-bearers".

The report also said the GCA is "functioning in total breach of rules and regulations framed by the association and the president treated the association as his personal property".

"The functioning of the GCA from the years 1997 to 2001, and especially in respect of financial matters, clearly reflects that the office-bearers and especially Narvekar, Phadke and Shankardas were using the funds as their private property and avoiding to maintain proper accounts," the Commission said.

Since the Commission found no material produced to establish whether any of the office-bearers had acquired disproportionate assets, it recommended "that the area of inquiry should be left to the police".

Regarding the alleged misappropriation of funds in the GCA, the one-man Commission said it was not possible to record any positive finding on this aspect in the absence of any material on record.

"It only reflects that the functioning of Association is entirely irregular and needs to be overhauled," it said.

It was recommended that the Sports Authority of Goa withdrew GCA recognition unless the association paid its entire dues in respect of hiring of the stadium at Fatorda.

"The Sports Authority should inform the Board of Control for Cricket in India about the mismanagement of GCA and misdeeds of the office bearers," the Commission said.

It also recommended that, henceforth, tickets should be printed with serial numbers and proper record of how many tickets are printed and sold should be maintained.

The sale of fake tickets for the April 6 match caused riotous scenes, with thousands of fans stranded outside the stadium. Police baton-charged irate cricket enthusiasts who had paid for tickets but could not be accommodated in the 30,000-seat Fatorda stadium.