PDP flays Farooq Abdullah for defending BCCI chief

SRINAGAR: Opposition PDP in Jammu and Kashmir today flayed Union Minister Farooq Abdullah for defending BCCI chief N Srinivasan and sought his resignation over alleged misappropriation of funds in the state's cricket association.

"Farooq Abdullah's defence of the beleaguered BCCI chief is his attempt to cover up and escape punishment for his alleged embezzlement in the J-K Cricket Association.

"Abdullah is facing more serious charges than Srinivasan as he has reportedly been issuing cheques of high amounts from unauthorised bank accounts," Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar said.

Last year, the state government had deliberately stalled investigation into the frauds in the state cricket body headed by Abdullah, he alleged.

"Abdullah faced serious charges of corruption, misappropriation and malpractices as the president of the state cricket association and it seems that he is paying back Srinivasan's debt who looked the other way when reports of the fraud broke out," Akhtar said.

The PDP leader said, media reports had placed the amount involved in the fraud at about Rs 50 crore, but even after registering a case, the police didn't investigate it.

"Abdullah calling Srinivasan a gentleman is quite understandable and substantiates his own continuation in office as the association president and Union minister," he added.

Akhtar alleged that Abdullah has been running the cricket association as his "personal company" spending huge funds, not only without any financial discipline or scrutiny, but also "grabbing" prime government land to build its assets through blue-eyed contractors.