The Madras High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to expedite the inquiry into allegations of misuse of funds by office-bearers of the Volleyball Federation of India.
Justice G. Jayachandran passed the order while disposing of a criminal original petition filed by K. Nandakumar, seeking a direction to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI, to register a case based on his complaint filed in 2016.
During the course of the hearing, the court was informed that the CBI had conducted a preliminary inquiry relating to the irregularities and a case had been registered. “Documents relating to the inquiry have been sought for from the third respondent (Secretary, Sports-cum-Director General, Sports Authority of India). It is also represented by the third respondent, as per the request of CBI, that the documents sought for an inquiry by CBI have already been submitted,” the judge said. Hence, disposing of the petition, the judge ordered the Superintendent of Police, Head of Branch – ACB, CBI, to “expedite the inquiry and complete the same within reasonable time without much delay and dispose of the complaint as expeditiously as possible.”
Following this, K. Nandakumar, general secretary, Karnataka Volleyball Association, sought the immediate resignation of Ramavatar Singh Jakhar, Secretary General, VFI, and Murugan, CEO, VFI to enable the CBI to conduct a free and fair inquiry.
“We also demand that the Union Sports Ministry immediately intervene and dissolve the VFI and form an ad hoc committee to take care of the administration, and also conduct free and fair fresh elections,” he said.
