MUMBAI: This is seriously taking the long rope idiom to way beyond acceptable. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has failed to clear the dues for SEVEN (emphasis ours) Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons to the Mumbai police which organises elaborate security for the IPL and other matches held here, as per an RTI revelation.
That is not the real scandal here though. Why pay if you can get away with it would be the attitude of the men who matter in the MCA. What begs the question is how has the MCA been allowed to get away with this outright robbery of state resources by the Maharashtra government.
Returning to topic. In a reply to Right to Information (RTI) activist Anil Galgali, the Mumbai police has revealed that it is yet to receive its fees of Rs 213.4 million, including pending interest of Rs 56.1 million, due to the force for providing security for IPL and other major cricket tourneys up till 2018.
Add 2019 dues to this and we are probably looking at close to Rs 250 million or thereabouts that the MCA owes the Mumbai police.
For the recently-concluded IPL season, the Mumbai police provided full security to the teams, venues, players, etc. though the Home Ministry orders were pending and the last order expired on March 31, 2019, IANS reports.
“Assistant Commissioner of Police (coordination) Dilip Thorat has replied under the RTI Act that the outstanding amount includes fees for providing security for One Day Internationals, T-20 World Cup, Tests and Women’s World Cup matches, all of which are pending and the amount keeps piling up,” Galgali told the news agency.
The police have not yet raised the bills for the IPL 2019 as no fresh orders have been received from the state government, but Galgali said they will do so shortly when the new government resolution is expected.
Last year’s IPL security for nine matches cost the city police Rs 14.8 million, but the MCA is yet to clear the bill, Galgali pointed out.
“It is obligatory on the part of the MCA to immediately clear the dues of the police department for the prompt help the police provides by way of security and smooth conduct of the IPL. Even the police officers concerned must ensure that the bills are cleared within a reasonable period after the IPL is over,” he told IANS.
