Upset CIC member Raju Kulkarni seeks MCA's response for tarnishing his image

Raju Kulkarni. Pic/Atul Kamble

The manner in which the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) dissolved the all-powerful Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) due to conflict of interest has not gone down well with the committee members.

MCA secretaries Sanjay Naik and Shah Alam Shaikh decided to discontinue the CIC, headed by Lalchand Rajput, Sameer Dighe and Raju Kulkarni. And, also appointed a new committee, led by Jatin Paranjape, almost immediately.

While Rajput and Dighe had declared conflict of interest at the time of their appointment, Kulkarni had no conflict. However, his services too were discontinued, which Kulkarni felt has tarnished his image.

The former India pacer has seeked several replies from the MCA: "Please specify my conflict of interest which disqualify me as a CIC member; kindly provide me copy of AGM and Apex Council meeting minutes which transfers authority to the office-bearers to dissolve CIC as it concerns my removal from CIC and tarnish my reputation as a Test cricketer."

Kulkarni said MCA's decision to dissolve the CIC is humiliating. "It was humiliating and disturbing to know that you have dissolved CIC with immediate effect on the grounds of conflict of interest.

"MCA constitution clearly states that CIC will consist of Test Cricketers, honorarily working with specific duties. Once appointed we will not be at the mercy of a office-bearer or individual. Hope you understand that the sole intention of a cricketer, who has given years of service, is to give back to Mumbai cricket with pride and dignity," Kulkarni stated.

As far as the new CIC appointment is concerned, murmurs in the Mumbai cricket fraternity are that one of the three members is already under conflict of interest ambit as he is a coach of a reputed cricket academy.

Meanwhile, Ravi Mandrekar, a prominent MCA member, has noted that "the Apex Council has no powers to decide and pass judgment on conflict of interest. As per the MCA constitution, the decision on conflict of interest can be given by only Ethics Officer.

An MCA official told mid-day that all the committees, and not just the CIC, have been dissolved by the MCA as per the general body's mandate.