INDIA. Mumbai: The reputed Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has not paid a whopping Rs 14.82 crore to the Mumbai Police for the security provided by them during a host of international cricket matches held in Mumbai and adjoining areas since 2013.
In response to an RTI query dated May 18, 2019, filed by activist Anil Galgali, ACP (Crime) (additional charge) Sopan Nighot wide letter dated December 13, 2021, has stated that the amount of Rs 14.82 crore towards security provided during the cricket matches organized by MCA remains unpaid despite over 30 reminders served to the MCA.
Out of an accumulated Rs 16.22 crore, the MCA paid Rs 1.40 crore only once during 2018 IPL matches. Given the dues remaining unpaid for a long time, the police are planning to charge 9.5 percent interest to MCA on the accumulated amount.
Galgali has written to the Maharashtra Chief Uddhav Thackeray, Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Minister of State for Home Satej Patil, and Mumbai Police commissioner Sanjay Pandey urging them to provide security to MCA only after the pending dues are cleared.
The IPL 2022 matches are slated to be held at the Wankhede and Brabourne stadium in Mumbai, at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, and MCA International Stadium, Pune, from March 26 onwards with the final on May 29.
The pending dues include: 1.Women’s World Cup- 2013( January 26, 2013 to February 18, 2013)- Charges- Rs 6,66,22,088/-. 2. One Day Internationals (ODI) ( October 25,30,31, 2015)-Charges-Rs 83,52,089/-, 3. World Cup T 20-2016( March 10,12,16,18,20,31, 2016) Charges–Rs 3,60,00,000/-, 4. Test match- 2016 ( December 08 to December 12, 2016)-Charges-Rs 50,00,000/-, 5. Practice match (February 17 to 19, 2017)- Charges-Rs. 50,000, 6. Indian Premier League (IPL) match- 2017(May 16, 2017)- Charges-Rs 66,00,000/- 7. IPL 2018 ( May 22, 2018 and May 27, 2018)- Charges-Rs 1,40,00,000/-(Paid), 8. ODI-( October 22,2017)-Charges-Rs. 66,00,000/-, 9. T-20 (December 24, 2017)-Charges-Rs.66,00,000 and 10.ODI ( October 29, 2018)-Charges-Rs. 75,00,000/-.
“The Mumbai police are yet to charge for the security provided to the matches held from April 01, 2019, to March 31, 2020, since the state home department is yet to specify the rates at which the service charges should be levied. The matter has been brought to the notice of Additional Chief Secretary (Home) at least 9 times, but no avail. Resultantly the charges remain unpaid and the MC does not take the matter seriously,” Galgali said.
An email sent by the Transcontinental Times to MCA Secretary Sanjay Naik seeking clarification remained unanswered.
The Mumbai Cricket Association is the governing body for cricket in Mumbai and its surrounding regions like Thane and Navi Mumbai. Its jurisdiction includes the area up to Dahanu in the Western Suburbs, Badlapur in the Central Suburbs, and Navi Mumbai up to Kharghar.
The MCA comes under the west zone and is a full member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a Cricket administrative body, headquartered in Mumbai.
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