Srinagar, Apr 17: A day after he was dragged into the J&K Cricket Association (JKCA) multi-crore scam, the Association treasurer, Manzoor Ahmad Wazir on Tuesday came out revealing all about the scam. He even alleged harassment to him and his family.
 Addressing a hurriedly called press conference at JKCA headquarters here, Manzoor said he is being targeted for having blown the lid off the embezzlement of funds after taking over as Association treasurer on June-2011.
 “ I brought to the fore huge embezzlement of funds and I was appreciated for this by JKCA President Dr Farooq Abdullah. Now those involved in the scam are threatening me and my family,” he said.
  “It was in December 2011 that the General Secretary, Ahsam Mirza informed me that JKCA received rupees 18-crore from BCCI. He told me that he has sent the money/check to official bank account of SOD-17 of JK Bank Air Cargo branch. However, after few days when I went to the bank to check the statement of the account I was surprised to find that the amount was not highlighted in it” he said.
 “I was shocked to see the huge amount missing from the account. I immediately communicated it to the General Secretary and concerned JK Bank branch manager. The manager told me that the amount was converted directly into FDR without crediting into official account under the instructions of general secretary,” he added.
  He said that it was an irregularity carried out intentionally to involve the me as the current treasurer. “Seeing this I recorded my observation in cash and receipt book that is now with the investigative agency of Police,”he said.
 Giving details about how the scam surfaced he said, “A few dignified working committee members gave me written complaint about the bogus account in JK Bank Khanyar branch in the name of JKCA. I as a conscious office bearer got it verified from the bank and after confirmation immediately brought it to the notice of JKCA President, Dr Farooq Abdullah”.
 “The money received from BCCI was being directly converted into FDR’s, crediting into bogus accounts directly. Hence balance sheets were clear as the money was not being credited into official account;” he said.
 Giving details about total amount of the embezzlement he said, “After the scam surfaced, former treasurer who was the current general secretary, sent 47 CCR’s amounting to 44.52 crores to the association. An amount of 78.54 crores had to be with him, but he returned only FDR’s worth 50.52 crores that includes plagued, liquidated and 2 FDR’s of bogus account of Khanyar branch”.
 “ There is still a cursory shortfall of rupees 27.93 crores in the accounts and the matter is now with investigative agencies and the culpable would be brought to book soon and every penny of the cricketers of the state would be recovered, “he said.
 Giving a veiled reference to JKCA Chairman, Aslam Goni who is claiming to be whistleblower, Manzoor said, “The persons who claim to be whistleblowers have many things to clear before investigative agencies,” he said.
 To a question why he revealed all this now and not earlier, he said, “Some disgruntled elements have resorted to maligning my position and harassing me and family”.
 “If anything untoward happens to me, my family or my property the responsibility shall lie on those who are involved in the scam,” he said.
 Wazir revealed that Dr Farooq who is President of JKCA has been cheated all along by some persons in the association.
 “He never knew about anything and some persons mainly those involved in scam even managed to get scanning signatures of Dr Farooq and used them at various instances,” he said.
 “I along with Sham Saroop Kalsotra was part of 2-mmeber committee to check the account of JKCA in 2009,” he said adding it was official account and after going through it we found nothing as FDR were not credited into it but into the bogus account. Hence there were no discrepancies in it.
 “However, in our report we gave some suggestions if they had been followed , the scam would never have occurred”.
 “No cricketer or office bearer of working committee member should get unnerved by formation of in-house committee if they have nothing to hide. I am ready to face anything and will give any reply to investigative agencies about the scam and things involved,” he said.
 He said that he is not part of four member in-house committee formed by Dr Farooq Abdullah to probe the scam and has been appointed to facilitate their investigation.
 He requested Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and JKCA President Dr Farooq Abdullah to look into whole matter and bring to fore all the persons who cheated and got benefited by public money.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST