Agartala: Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) has faced an embarrassment in factional squabble and power fight between it’s President and Secretary and the matter has now been moved to court where authority of each other was challenged.
According to TCA members, after the BJP led government came to power, a Professor of Tripura Medical College Dr Manik Saha who has later become the president of Tripura BJP and renowned cricketer Timir Chanda were elected as President and Secretary of TCA apex council for three years in 2019.
Allegedly, since beginning Dr Saha did not allow Chanda to discharge his executive function as the secretary as per the rule and former had removed later twice over past two years from the post of secretary when president was opposed to function beyond jurisdiction but on both occasions the high court reinstated him to the post.
After getting elected as member of Rajya Sabha last month, Dr Saha as per cricket law and the recommendation of Justice (Retd) R M Lodha he has to resign from the TCA post but he refused to relinquish the position; instead seized the executive rights of Secretary and initiated the process of his removal for the second time, TCA officials said.
“Violating the law and direction of Supreme Court, Dr Saha threatened to mobilise mussel power to retain his position in TCA and remove me from the post of secretary. He prevented me signing official papers and bank operations, which forced me to move to the high court last week and the court revalidated my position and advised president to allow me to function as per law,” Chanda said.
According to rule, no person can hold any position in TCA if he/she holds office of profit or political post. Dr Saha was supposed to relinquish the post of president immediately after being elected as BJP state president but he didn’t.
Instead of resigning from president post, he conspired to remove secretary and did several irregularities including allowing members in the apex council, selection of players, using TCA funds and other administrative functions, he alleged.
Last year, Dr Saha attempted to seize the power of secretary reportedly opposing the illegal activities but high court turned it down. But even then, Dr Saha allegedly didn’t allow Chanda to perform his duties against the corruption charges labelled against some TCA members rather isolated the secretary.
