The latest development comes as a huge blow not just for Dalmiya, but for the entire Dalmiya-backed lobby in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). Ever since the court lifted a life ban imposed on him by the BCCI last year, Dalmiya has been slowly regaining lost ground in the Kolkata Maidan. With him openly backing the opposition in recent wrangles concerning the IPL, Dalmiya’s growing presence has been giving the Prasun Mukherjee-led CAB a few worries. The grapevine even said that Dalmiya was planning to stage a comeback to cricket administration at the CAB polls this July.

For legal expenses

During the 1996 cricket World Cup hosted by the Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan cricket boards, the organizing committee had set up a PILCom account in a bank in London . The Income-Tax department filed 64 cases against this account. To pay the legal expenses in fighting these cases, the BCCI set up IndCom accounts.

According to the Crime Branch, the crores allegedly misappropriated by Dalmiya and his associates was withdrawn from IndCom account number 1223 opened at the Bhowanipore branch of the Indian Overseas Bank in Kolkata. The amount was withdrawn to allegedly meet various ‘personal expenses’ such as hotel stays, foreign exchange purchases, and telephone bills.

“The IndCom account was for exclusive operation by Dalmiya only. He changed the account name to ‘World Cup 1996 account’ without any resolution, and also appointed Chaudhary as an authorized signatory illegally. Dutta, whose company was allegedly supplying car rentals and stationary to the BCCI could not produce any proof of these supplies. The cars he allegedly rented were two-wheelers and trucks,” said Maria.

... contd.