Former BCCI treasurer and joint secretary MP Pandove and former Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) secretary and one-time Team India supervisor GS Walia have been barred from involvement in cricket for all times.
This order was handed by PCA ombudsman-cum-ethics officer Justice HS Bhalla, following a criticism by Gagandeep Singh Dhaliwal, secretary, District Cricket Association, Mohali (DCAM), that the 2 veteran directors had “misappropriated and embezzled funds” of PCA.
Responding to the cost of battle of curiosity towards Pandove and Walia, the order states: “… It is clear that there is a conflict of interest as the respondents, who were the officer-bearers of PCA, became active members of MCA and funds were also released to MCA by them. The respondents released funds of PCA to MCA fully knowing that MCA is not affiliated with PCA and even the registration of MCA is under challenge before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. They are debarred for life from involvement with the game of cricket.”
Giving particulars of the criticism, the order provides, “The complainant – District Cricket Association, Mohali – filed the present complaint under Section 46 of the rules and regulations of Punjab Cricket Association against the respondents GS Walia and MP Pandove that the Mohali Cricket Association, have misappropriated and embezzled funds of PCA, which were released to MCA against the rules in spite of the fact that PCA has not recognised them and no affiliation certificate had been issued to PCA.”
“After having gone through the record of the PCA, I further find that while these respondents were secretary, joint secretary, treasurer of the PCA, they became members of MCA, meaning thereby they were keenly interested in establishing the MCA and this is why, to my mind, they released the funds and permitted the MCA to use playground, office and washrooms in the building of the PCA, Stadium at Mohali even in the absence of affiliation certificate … All this clearly spells out that the MCA is trying to build a castle on the sandy foundation which is bound to collapse …” the order added.
Dhaliwal welcomed the order. “We had accessed the MCA and PCA documents and as per them, MCA was formed in 1997 while Mohali itself became a district in Punjab in 2006. There has been no proof of affiliation of MCA with PCA and all these years, it was running under GS Walia and MP Pandove. We are glad that this order has come, and hope the PCA will form an investigation committee to look into the matter of embezzlement of funds,” he stated.
On being contacted, former PCA secretary GS Walia stated, “PCA CEO Deepak Sharma needs to be asked. I cannot comment on this issue,” Pandove and Sharma didn’t reply to repeated calls.