Former Ombudsman raises serious allegations against KCA

Kochi: Former Ombudsman-cum-Ethics Officer for the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) V Ramkumar, who was unceremoniously removed from the post recently, has filed an affidavit in the High Court challenging his expulsion while levelling serious allegations against the current office-bearers of the state body.

He alleged that the KCA officials trespassed onto the premises of his office on a public holiday and installed a former High Court judge as the new Ombudsman without his knowledge.

He had produced all documentary evidence against KCA president Jayesh George’s alleged misappropriation of funds as well as the unethical actions of secretary Sreejith V Nair, and the trial was entering the last stage when the KCA decided to relieve him of the post in undue haste, the affidavit further said.

The submission was made in response to a writ petition filed by G Kumar, representing Friends Cricket Club, Kottayam, and Bert Jacob, of Kuruvilangad Cricket Club, challenging the KCA’s action to remove Ramkumar from the post of Ombudsman.

“It was a criminal offence to break open the lock and enter the office without my permission. The persons who conspired to carry out this unlawful act were Jayesh, Sreejith and KCA counsel K N Abhilash,” he alleged in the affidavit.

Terming the functioning of the KCA inherently flawed, Ramkumar said he was appointed as the ombudsman for a period of three years.

“After a year, my tenure was increased by 12 more months. There were indications that another extension of one year could be granted to me. However, the special general body meeting convened by the KCA on October 11 did not take any decision on the extension of tenure. The next day I received an e-mail saying that former High Court judge K P Jyothindranath was appointed as the new Ombudsman. When I went to the office it was found that the lock of the front door was replaced with a new one. When I raised the issue with the KCA office-bearers, they sent a person with the key and opened the office. Thereafter I phoned Jyothindranath and asked him to assume office, but he informed me that he had already taken charge as the Ombudsman from the KCA office.

“The office and bank documents as well as the files pertaining to the cases are still with me. As per rules, the new appointee should have assumed office only after taking possession of the documents, files and the official vehicle, preferably after prior information,” Ramkumar added.

Malicious allegations, says Jayesh

Meanwhile, KCA president and BCCI joint-secretary-designate Jayesh George denied the allegations raised against him by the former Ombudsman.

“It is unfortunate that baseless and frivolous allegations are being made without proper verification of facts to malign my image. When these issues were raised by certain individuals before the BCCI CEO and the Ombudsman, I had filed counter replies to all of them. Most of these corruption charges levelled are beyond my purview as I was not a signing authority in KCA then. These questions should be asked to the then KCA president, secretary and the treasurer who were the decision makers. Moreover, the KCA-appointed auditors and the BCCI’s independent auditors had conducted a detailed audit of the accounts maintained by the KCA,” he added.