‘Corruption’ In Tripura Cricket: Association Protests Outside Police HQ in Agartala

TCA members held placards highlighting the “floodlighting scam” in two cricket stadiums—Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Cricket Stadium and the under-construction Narsingarh Stadium.

The Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) on Monday staged a silent protest in front of the Tripura Police Headquarters in Agartala, demanding the immediate arrest of former office bearers accused in a multi-crore financial scam involving the procurement and installation of LED floodlights at the MBB cricket stadium.

The protest comes after the Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed on the orders of the High Court, filed an FIR following an investigation into the alleged corruption but surprisingly till date there has been no arrest of those found involved with the financial scam.

TCA members held placards highlighting the “floodlighting scam” in two cricket stadiums—Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Cricket Stadium and the under-construction Narsingarh Stadium.

The association alleged that a section of the previous management authorized massive financial misappropriations without consulting the general body or adhering to technical guidelines.

In 2021, two lifetime members of the TCA raised concerns about irregularities in the procurement and installation of high-mast floodlights at the MBB Cricket Stadium. The allegations pointed to mismanagement by the then secretary, who bypassed approval protocols. They subsequently filed a petition in the High Court, leading to the formation of the SIT in August 2023 to investigate the matter.

The SIT’s findings were presented to the Crime Branch, which registered an FIR against those involved.

However, TCA members claim no arrests have been made yet, prompting their demand for swift action.

The present TCA management has highlighted serious technical and procedural flaws in the execution of contracts for floodlight installations. At the MBB Stadium, four high-mast floodlights with 78 LED units each were installed at a reported cost of Rs 14 crores. Similarly, the cost of the Narsingarh Stadium project ballooned from the initially approved Rs 10.5 crores to over Rs 24 crores.

According to reports, the construction agency, RKSP, initially secured the contract for building the Polytechnic International Cricket Stadium for Rs 10 crores in 2017. However, after incorporating additional works, the project cost escalated to Rs 26 crores, with TCA already releasing 50% of the payment.

The TCA has accused the former secretary of approving these inflated budgets without proper technical evaluations or adherence to contractual agreements. They further allege that the same irregularities observed at the MBB Stadium are now evident in the ongoing Narsingarh Stadium project.

The current TCA committee has brought these findings to the attention of Tripura Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anurag Dhankar. They have also demanded accountability for the misuse of funds and flawed execution of contracts, which they claim have jeopardized the credibility of the association.
The protesting members emphasized that the High Court’s directive and SIT’s findings should be acted upon promptly, with arrests and further investigations to ensure justice.

This protest underscores growing discontent within the cricketing community in Tripura, as stakeholders call for transparency and accountability in managing funds meant for the development of sports infrastructure.

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