The Gurugram Police has registered a case against five people for cheating an aspiring cricket player to the tune of Rs 10 lakh on the pretext of playing him with the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Academy (HPCA).
According to the FIR, a case has been registered against Raj Rajput, Amit, Ashutosh Bora, Chitra Bora and Pushkar Tiwari under sections 120 B, 419, 420, 465, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code on Tuesday night.
In a complaint through his lawyer senior advocate Jaikush Hoon, Raj alleged that in 2018 he met a person at a cricket academy in Gurugram who introduced him to another person who is one of the scammers and runs another Cricket Academy in a part of Delhi/NCR.
Hoon said that one day, Raj met a person named Deepak and he then arranged his meeting with Raj Rajput, who ran SDCM Cricket Academy to play for the North-East states. Rajput asked him to pay Rs one lakh.
The lawyer said that Raj paid Rs 70,000 in cash and Rs 30,000 was deposited in a bank account.
Hoon alleged that Rajput arranged Raj's meeting with Amit, who was a coach and cricket player at the SDCM cricket academy.
Hoon said that the accused showed a forged letter addressed to Raj which stated that he has been selected to play for State-level Cricket Tournament for Himachal Pradesh, but he has to pay Rs 10 lakh for the same.
He said that he was even shown the letter dated January 4, 2019 for playing for the Himachal Senior State Under 23 cricket team to lead the team in the CK Naidu Trophy Tournament.
Hoon said that the letter had the stamp of the HPCA and the signature of the Secretary.
In the complaint, it has also been alleged that the accused then pressurised him to pay Rs 10 lakh to make the contract happen.
Hoon stated that Raj had a meeting with other accused Chitra Bora and Pushkar Tiwari who then persuaded him to meet Ashutosh Bora.
"During the meeting, Raj stated that he made it clear that he will be unable to pay the Rs 10 lakh, but then they persuaded his father to pay the amount," the lawyer said.
"On January 9, 2020, Raj paid Rs 2.5 lakh into the bank account of Namit Gulf Solutions Enterprises and then other transaction of Rs 2.5 lakh in the same bank account on January 13, 2020 and Rs 3 lakh on February 12 were transferred," Hoon said.
After transferring the amount to the bank account, Hoon said, "Raj was called to Himachal Pradesh on February 4, 2020 where he was given a HPCA cricket kit and dress along with the PMOA card on behalf of BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India)."
The PMOA card is given to the players and match officials to give them access in the stadiums and dressing rooms in the stadiums.
Hoon said, "When I enquired about the PMOA card, they said that the state cricket boards can also issue the same card to their players."
Hoon said that however, Raj was kept away from the matches of the HPCA as Ashutosh Bora said that the state players are having objections to the players from other states and the HPCA anti-corruption cell is probing the matter.
Hoon also alleged that following Raj's regular followup with the accused named in the case, he was sent a Rs 5 lakh legal notice from them.
When contacted, HPCA officials told IANS, "We have got the query from the Gurugram Police regarding the letter issued to Anshul Raj and we have replied to them that no such letter was issued to him by the HPCA."
Hoon said, "The reply of the HPCA to the police, makes clear that the letter issued to him was forged."
Hoon said that when the letter and other contracts were sent for scrutiny to the authorities, it was officially clarified that they were forged and the said sports company is not recognised by any State Cricket Association.
A senior BCCI official when contacted refused to comment on the issue.
In a complaint through his lawyer senior advocate Jaikush Hoon, Raj alleged that in 2018 he met a person at a cricket academy in Gurugram who introduced him to another person who is one of the scammers and runs another Cricket Academy in a part of Delhi/NCR.
Hoon said that one day, Raj met a person named Deepak and he then arranged his meeting with Raj Rajput, who ran SDCM Cricket Academy to play for the North-East states. Rajput asked him to pay Rs one lakh.
The lawyer said that Raj paid Rs 70,000 in cash and Rs 30,000 was deposited in a bank account.
Hoon alleged that Rajput arranged Raj's meeting with Amit, who was a coach and cricket player at the SDCM cricket academy.
Hoon said that the accused showed a forged letter addressed to Raj which stated that he has been selected to play for State-level Cricket Tournament for Himachal Pradesh, but he has to pay Rs 10 lakh for the same.
He said that he was even shown the letter dated January 4, 2019 for playing for the Himachal Senior State Under 23 cricket team to lead the team in the CK Naidu Trophy Tournament.
Hoon said that the letter had the stamp of the HPCA and the signature of the Secretary.
In the complaint, it has also been alleged that the accused then pressurised him to pay Rs 10 lakh to make the contract happen.
Hoon stated that Raj had a meeting with other accused Chitra Bora and Pushkar Tiwari who then persuaded him to meet Ashutosh Bora.
"During the meeting, Raj stated that he made it clear that he will be unable to pay the Rs 10 lakh, but then they persuaded his father to pay the amount," the lawyer said.
"On January 9, 2020, Raj paid Rs 2.5 lakh into the bank account of Namit Gulf Solutions Enterprises and then other transaction of Rs 2.5 lakh in the same bank account on January 13, 2020 and Rs 3 lakh on February 12 were transferred," Hoon said.
After transferring the amount to the bank account, Hoon said, "Raj was called to Himachal Pradesh on February 4, 2020 where he was given a HPCA cricket kit and dress along with the PMOA card on behalf of BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India)."
The PMOA card is given to the players and match officials to give them access in the stadiums and dressing rooms in the stadiums.
Hoon said, "When I enquired about the PMOA card, they said that the state cricket boards can also issue the same card to their players."
Hoon said that however, Raj was kept away from the matches of the HPCA as Ashutosh Bora said that the state players are having objections to the players from other states and the HPCA anti-corruption cell is probing the matter.
Hoon also alleged that following Raj's regular followup with the accused named in the case, he was sent a Rs 5 lakh legal notice from them.
When contacted, HPCA officials told IANS, "We have got the query from the Gurugram Police regarding the letter issued to Anshul Raj and we have replied to them that no such letter was issued to him by the HPCA."
Hoon said, "The reply of the HPCA to the police, makes clear that the letter issued to him was forged."
Hoon said that when the letter and other contracts were sent for scrutiny to the authorities, it was officially clarified that they were forged and the said sports company is not recognised by any State Cricket Association.
A senior BCCI official when contacted refused to comment on the issue.
(IANS)