GUWAHATI, Dec 15: Police have arrested former Assam Cricket Association (ACA) secretary, Pradip Buragohain, over alleged financial irregularities during his tenure, based on an FIR lodged at Fatasil Ambari police station here.
“We found certain facts and information during our preliminary investigation to take former ACA secretary Pradip Buragohain to custody yesterday after an FIR was lodged by the ACA against him, alleging financial anomalies during 2016 to 2019 when he was serving as the secretary of the cricket association,” an Assam Police official said on Thursday.
A case has been registered at Fatasil Ambari police station and investigation is currently underway to ascertain more documentary evidence.
The police official however said that the amount of funds allegedly misappropriated would only be known once the investigation was over.
Sources however said that the amount of funds misused might run into crores.
ACA sources said that after taking note of possible financial anomalies, an accounts verification committee was constituted to scrutinise the financial transactions, including payments to contractors, made by the former ACA committee during June 12, 2016 to January 12, 2019.
“The verification committee submitted its report earlier this year after finding major anomalies, particularly in regard to purchase of air tickets, construction at (Barsapara) stadium and allied work and unauthorised expenditure during the two-and-half-year period,” ACA secretary Devajit Saikia told mediapersons here.
Based on the accounts verification committee’s report, the ACA subsequently sought an explanation from Buragohain and asked him to appear before the apex council.
Sources said that the apex council was not satisfied with Buragohain’s reply, following which the ACA asked him to pay back the amount.
But the former ACA secretary reportedly refused to comply with the directive following which the ACA took a resolution during its annual general meeting at Kaziranga in August this year to take legal action.
Accordingly, the FIR was lodged by ACA at the jurisdictional police station earlier this month.
IANS