Hashmi, Pathak in trouble after Rai files complaint of funds laundering

Untold story of the National Games unfold through FIR

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Sunday, June 28, 2009

An FIR was lodged by Bamshankar Prasad Rai of Dhanbad district Badminton Association against the secretary and the treasurer of Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) SM Hashmi and Madhukant Pathak on Saturday for alleged misappropriation of money meant for the holding the 34th National Games in Jharkhand.

Rai who initially lodged this complaint with the IG of Ranchi division was registered by the Lalpur police station under section 406,409,467,468,471 and 120 of the Indian Penal Code. The IG referred this matter to the city SP through the letter no 265/dated June 26, 2009 for investigation. Rai also submitted a voluminous document that he procured from the State Sports Department under Right to Information Act.

In his complain Rai has alleged that both the officials of JOA embezzled funds in the name of conducting the general meeting of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in Jharkhand. While in its expenditure report of the year 2005-06 and 2006-07 JOA is claimed to have spent Rs 11.30 and 11.80 lakhs respectively over the two general meeting of the Indian Olympic Association in Jharkhand.But it is to be seen that the meeting of the IOA was held only once in Jharkhand against the claimed two, Rai claimed.

Leveling charges against them Rai in his FIR has said that the duo even concealed Rs 5 lakhs and 3.70 lakhs respectively the amount that JOA received from the State Government as subsidiary grant during the financial year 2002-03 and 2003-04.

Both Rai and Pathak even mislead other members of the JOA over the auditing of the accounts of the association. Quoting the FIR; in the general meeting of the JOA held on April 30, 2005 in Bokaro they had said that the accounts of the JOA for the year 2004-05 could not be audited due to the non-appointment of an auditor.

Rai who had filed an RTI to get the status report submitted documents to show that JOA had completed the auditing of the accounts just two days back. The JOA was constituted on June 17, 2001 but so far it has not been registered under Society Act 1860 which was termed as a calculated design of the duo to siphon off Government's money.

Requesting proper investigation of the matter Rai said that it would expose a big time scam which has going on in Jharkhand on the name of conducting national games.It is up to the police to unearth truth but it is seen as an extension of on going media war among some of the members of JOA who without quoting the name of the duo had accused them off irregularities at a press conference some few days back.

Pathak who termed the allegations wrong had held a press conference on Friday and held his detractors as a bunch of people who were misleading the media and the public at large just because of their vested interests. "If at all the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducts an inquiry it should not be limited to the tenders and purchases made by the JOA. The inquiry should be conducted from the very beginning when Jharkhand decided as the venue of the National Games. Can anybody justify the reasons why the budget of organising the games soared to Rs. 277 Crore in April 2007 from Rs 206 Crore in February 2005?" Pathak says.