LDCA again in eye of storm as suspended officials open another bank account

The Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA), an affiliated unit of the Punjab Cricket Association, has landed itself in yet another controversy. The Arbitration Tribunal had given an award suspending current office-bearers of the LDCA and appointing a three-member committee to run its day to day affairs on a complaint filed with it, alleging mismanagement and financial irregularities.

This resulted in preventing suspended office-bearers from operating the LDCA savings bank account with Yes Bank, Model Town branch (account number 76194600000282). In a shocking move, to avoid obeying the Tribunal award which is at par with the decree of a civil court, the suspended officials of the association opened a new account with another bank, sparking allegations of illegality.

Despite the ongoing legal battle — the case in the court of Civil Judge, Junior Division — the suspended office-bearers of LDCA have opened a new current account under the name ‘Ludhiana District Cricket Association’ bearing the number (030105000380) with another bank, Capital Small Finance Bank Ltd, Gurdev Nagar branch, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the move. The new bank account is strikingly similar to the original.

Local former cricketers argued that opening a new account when the case was still in court, was a blatant disregard of the law. Pankaj Dogra, president, Ludhiana Old Cricket Players Association and its other members, Parminder Sharma. Maninder and Devinder Behal, said the LDCA was trying to circumvent the legal process and continue its operations unchecked.

However, one of the LDCA officials, whom The Tribune spoke to, said they had done nothing wrongand that it was necessary for the smooth functioning of the association.

The cricket community in Ludhiana anxiously awaits the outcome of the court case with these facts unfolding.