Second notice slapped on Dalmiya

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has slapped Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former board president, with another show cause notice. Dalmiya has been asked to explain, within 21 days, the details of the exorbitant expenses incurred during the 1996 World Cup under his time in office.

Niranjan Shah, the BCCI Secretary, has been reported by The Statesman as demanding details of figures related to the Pilcom account held with the Indian Overseas Bank in Kolkata. Shah has been quoted as saying that withdrawals from the bank showed "abnormally high" expenses including telephone bills, travel and cash withdrawals. Details came from a report submitted by N Srinivasan, the BCCI treasurer, to a working committee. Asked whether further action would be taken against Dalmiya, Shah said that would be decided only after he responded to the latest notice.

The first show cause notice alleging misappropriation of funds had been issued against Dalmiya and Kishore Rungta and Jyoti Bajpai, two former board treasurers, on February 27. The Bombay High Court had granted the trio interim relief against arrest, but instructed them to appear before the Economic Offences Wing for further interrogation last week. They were granted anticipatory bail as the police prepared to submit their reports to the court.

Dalmiya, who also served as president of the ICC, was the convener of Pilcom, which was created to organise the 1996 World Cup in the subcontinent. Inquiries into the Pilcom accounts were initiated after Dalmiya was ousted by Sharad Pawar as BCCI chief in November last year.