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Why BCCI’s ACU head Neeraj Kumar’s tenure ended
By Sandy - Mar 31, 2018 10:30 am
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Ajit Singh Shekhawat, the former Director General of Police (Rajasthan), is going to replace Neeraj Kumar as the head of Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).

Ajit Singh Shekhawat

According to the reports, Ajit Singh will begin his new journey from April 7, the opening day of the IPL 2018. On the other hand, Neeraj Kumar was in the charge of head of BCCI’s ACU for last three years.

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Recently, a BCCI official confirmed the news as he told PTI, “Yes, the BCCI has finalized Mr. Ajit Singh’s name as the new ACU chief. He has been a decorated officer with the speciality in dealing with anti-corruption activities. He fits BCCI’s bill perfectly.”

But presently the most important question is why BCCI is suddenly replacing him. According to the reports, Neeraj Kumar’s recent relation with BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and SC appointed BCCI’s CoA were not good enough.

Neeraj Kumar

Neeraj was not happy with their actions to making strengthen of the ACU for fighting against the corruption in Indian cricket.

Recently, Neeraj had written a letter to Johri and CoA by mentioning these issues.

CoA
Vinod Rai, head of CoA

 

johri
Rahul Johri – CEO of BCCI

According to CricketNext, Neeraj wrote, “Hardly any interest has been shown in augmenting the strength and resources of the ACSU so that it can fight the menace of corruption in Indian cricket effectively. Not even once can I recall a meeting in which you have chosen to discuss this issue. Not even once have I been asked what the magnitude of the problem is and what needs to be done. However, I, on my own, in my various presentations before you (shortly after you joined as CEO) and before the CoA on May 20 have been highlighting the issue and what needs to be done.

“Not only that, I have sent a clutch of proposals to augment the strength of the ACSU to you, which have not even received your acknowledgments, leave alone any follow up that is in my knowledge. As I have pointed out in my presentations, over 900 matches take place during the domestic season. How is it expected that the ACSU with a total strength of 3 can cover them or at least impart ACEP before the matches.

“Since we pride ourselves in being the leading cricket playing nation it is only imperative that the BCCI has the best ACU to fight corruption in the game. Equally, we should be always conscious of the fact that the biggest scandals in cricket have happened on our soil and they are waiting to happen again anytime soon.”

Neeraj also directly questioned on their works to stop corruption and scandals from the Indian cricket. He added, “I will also take this opportunity to remind everyone that one of the main causative factors behind the ongoing reforms in cricket was the spot-fixing scandal of 2013. The case, inter alia, became the trigger point for the formation of the Mudgal Committee, the Lodha Committee and all that followed. Ironically, the measures to be undertaken for preventing a repeat of such scandals seems to have been forgotten and lost sight of.”

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Later, Neeraj revealed that his every email remained unacknowledged and unanswered. As a result, he stopped to send further emails. He was also aware that his tenure will end very soon.

He said on that, “Every mail sent by me in connection with the ACSU has remained unacknowledged and unanswered. Therefore, as you would have noticed in the recent months, I have stopped sending such mails. Not known to be a man who gives up easily, I have now decided to forget about them, as I am fully aware that my days in the BCCI are, in any case, numbered.”