Arvind Kejriwal Government to Probe Corruption in Delhi Cricket, India-South Africa Test in Kotla Uncertain

The AAP government has constituted a three-member panel to probe corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association. The decision comes in the wake of DDCA officials seeking state government help to stage the fourth Test between India and South Africa at Feroz Shah Kotla on December 3. (Delhi in Danger of Losing Fourth Test)

The Arvind Kejriwal-government has sought a report from the panel in 48 hours. The DDCA, perennially struggling due to internal strife, has to meet a November 17 deadline to establish its state of readiness to the Indian cricket Board. (Read More India-South Africa Cricket Series Stories Here)

In October this year, the Delhi government directed the DDCA to pay Rs 24.45 crores in entertainment taxes. The order was made under the provisions of the Delhi Entertainments and Betting Tax Act of 1996.

Talking to the media on Thursday, former India and Delhi Ranji Trophy captain Bishan Singh Bedi said: "Delhi is not fit to host a Test match because the DDCA is ill-equipped to do so. Grateful that Kejriwal has decided to take up the matter." 

Significantly, the DDCA has reportedly submitted its last three years' balance sheet to the BCCI. If approved by the BCCI, Delhi could get its share - approximately Rs 30 crores -- of the Board grant. Bedi hinted that the BCCI should form an ad-hoc committee, the way it has done in Rajasthan cricket.

Former India opener and DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan on Wednesday said the association will appeal to the Delhi CM for a "re-assessment of the entertainment tax" of Rs 24 crore levied by the Delhi government. Chauhan claimed that the tax department has levied the entertainment tax for the period between 2008 to 2012 during which they were "granted exemption".

"We don't agree with this exorbitant amount levied on us. We had been exempted from entertainment tax during that period and now we see that those exemption years have also been included," Chauhan had told PTI on Wednesday.

Pune Could Host if Delhi Fails

If DDCA fails to meet the BCCI deadline, the match will be awarded to Pune. The BCCI has named new Test centres during its AGM on Monday. So there are no shortage of takers.

"We are going to meet Kejriwal and request him if this amount (entertainment tax) could be settled after the Test is conducted. The Test is a big event for all Delhiites. Generally, the government helps in such cases. The CM is a gentleman and we hope he will understand our position," DDCA treasurer Manchanda had said earlier this week.

This is not the first time that DDCA has been in hot water in the current India-South Africa series.

Just before the start of the Twenty20 series, the first warm-up game between South Africa and the Board President's XI was shifted from the Kotla to Palam.

Chetan Chauhan, the vice-president of the DDCA, had said the main reason for the shifting was lack of permission from the government departments and also due to internal differences within the organisation.