Dalmiya, others interrogated

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya and two other former Board officials were interrogated for two hours by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police in connection with the alleged misappropriation of Rs 21.74 lakh from the 1996 World Cup account.

Dalmiya along with Kishore Rungta and Jyoti Bajpai, both former BCCI treasurers, were summoned to 'Bhabani Bhavan' -- the headquarters of the West Bengal CID -- for questioning by the EOW team.

The interrogation continued for almost two hours after which the EOW officials left for an Indian Overseas Bank branch in South Kolkata's Bhawanipur area, where the accounts of PILCOM (Pakistan, India, Lanka Committee) for 1996 World Cup cricket were maintained.

Emerging from the session, Dalmiya refused to comment, saying, "it is a legal matter, I will speak only to my lawyer."

EOW team leader Sudhir Mahare said the process of interrogating the former BCCI officials would continue as another team from Mumbai is scheduled to join them on Wednesday.

Asked whether the EOW team was satisfied with the first round of interrogations, he replied, "We can't say anything at this stage, the matter is sub-judice."

The interrogation is being done as per the directive of the Mumbai high court, which had granted interim relief against arrest to Dalmiya and others after they moved court following an FIR filed by the BCCI against them with the Mumbai Police for alleged misappropriation of funds under various sections of the IPC.

Dalmiya's lawyer Tamal Mukherjee said the EOW team began interrogation around noon and it continued for two hours.

To a question whether there is any possibility of arrest of the former BCCI president and others after the next hearing in court on April 10, he said, "How I can comment on this? It is a hypothetical question."

The EOW officials, who arrived in Kolkata on Monday night, are also likely to question officials of the Indian Overseas Bank as part of their investigation.

Dalmiya's personal assistant K Chowdhury may also be quizzed by the police team.

The first round of interrogations were in Mumbai, where Dalmiya had attended four sessions.

The Mumbai high court had directed Dalmiya and others to appear before the EOW in Mumbai for four days, and subsequently for two days in Kolkata.

The EOW officials are also supposed to scrutinize documents relating to the BCCI account for 1996 World Cup, opened in the Indian Overseas Bank, from where the misappropriation is alleged to have taken place.

The current BCCI regime, headed by Sharad Pawar had filed an FIR at the Marine Drive Police Station in Mumbai, but later the case was transferred to the EOW as it was related to alleged economic fraud.

The case had been filed under sections 406 and 408 (misappropriation), section 420 (cheating), sections 465 and 467 (falsifying documents) and section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.