Report, IND vs SA 2022 | MP Cricket Association raided by Indore Municipal Corporation allegedly over dispute for third T20I free passes
The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association has been raided by the Indore Municipal Corporation just hours ahead of the third T20I between India and South Africa in the city. The MPCA President has claimed the actions were initiated by an IAS officer after being denied extra passes for the game.
The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association, responsible for hosting the third T20I between India and South Africa at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Tuesday, has been subject to a raid by the Indore Municipal Corporation on the morning of the encounter as per an India Today report. The IMC officials, spearheaded by Additional Commissioner Lata Agarwal, visited the offices in relation to some outstanding dues which had been under question for the past week.
On September 29, the IMC had demanded the MPCA pay off the property tax for the Holkar Stadium, even though the due date was March 31, 2023. Moreover, they had raised the query in the name of the Usha Raje Trust despite the stadium being owned by the MPCA themselves. Even so, the IMC went on to visit the MPCA offices a day ahead of the Men in Blues' clash in order to ensure they paid the sum of Rs 32 lakh for the same reason and the MPCA gave in to ensure there were no issues during the important event on Tuesday.
However, the IMC is said to have also asked for entertainment tax for the encounter even though the figure cannot be determined until after the match when the total ticket collection will be known by the MPCA. The organization's President Abhilash Khandekar has accused the IMC of acting on the behest of an IAS officer who was refuted additional free passes for the game.
"I'm aghast at the timing of the raid. I am told all this was done to get passes for a junior IAS officer posted in the Indore Municipal Corporation. We decided to settle their tax demand ahead of the due date because we did not want anything to come in the way of organizing the match. The reputation of the state and country is at stake whenever there is an international match," he stated.
Khandekar further claimed 25 free passes had already been provided to municipal commissioner Pratibha Pal as is the custom.
"The additional commissioner Lata Agarwal kept repeating that the IMC Commissioner had sent her. How many passes can we keep doling out? This freebie culture has to end," the MPCA President explained.