BCCI’s Ombudsman probe conflict of interest allegations against Vikram Rathour and media manager Nishant Arora

With ongoing conflict of interest of former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly for which the board has to respond by January 27, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCIs) Ombudsman , Justice AP Shah, are arriving with more such complaints involving other office-bearer. The Ombudsman has shot out two more mails to board’s President Shashank Manohar and Indian Premier League (IPL) chief operating officer (COO) Ratnakar Shetty to to respond for complaints against national selector Vikram Rathour and board’s media manager Nishant Arora until February 2. ALSO READ: Harbhajan Singh faces allegations over conflict of interest

Niraj Gunde, who has claimed to be an independent journalists to Ombudsman, has said in his first letter of complaint to Justice Shah That Rathour owns passport to United Kingdom (UK). Gunde’s letter mentioned, “His loyalty to BCCI is itself in conflict and he has no business (associating himself) with the BCCI.” The other letter mentioned about Arora saying, “Arora was formerly manager of Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh. In addition, Arora’s wife Neha Soni Arora is the director of a company called Final Score Management Pvt. Ltd. which has commercial relations with various persons associated with Board.” ALSO READ: BCCI’s ombudsman requests for action against Sourav Ganguly’s conflict of interest

As reported on Times of India, the letter further reads, “Final Score runs both cricket academies associated with Harbhajan and Yuvraj. In addition, Final Score has opened a center at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association ground (HPCA). This is a commercial venture associated with a member of association of BCCI. The conflict of interest rules framed by BCCI prohibit the staff or a near relative from having any stake in a commercial entity which has a contract with a member association. Further, the rules prohibit the BCCI staff or near relatives from being associated with any player in capacity of a manager or an agent.”

He further mentioned, “It is very clear that Mr. Arora, being a staff member of BCCI, is involved with current cricketers and with a member association through his wife in a commercial venture. I request you to initiate enquiry against the said person.” Sources are to say that Gunde is willing to write a letter to open about alleged business association between BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur and Rathour. The sources say, “The families of both these individuals are registered as directors in the same companies and have business interest. It has to be highlighted that Rathour’s brothers are directors in the companies in which Thakur’s family has interests too. The secretary has not declared it at any level.”