Franchisees made money, suffered losses in IPL- Dalmiya

Franchisees kept pouring money even as state associations hosting IPL matches suffered financial losses to the tune of several crores, former BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya alleged during the BCCI's Working Committee meeting in Mumbai. BCCI sources said the Cricket Association of Bengal chief, who spoke for about half an hour in the hour-long meeting in Mumbai on Sunday, detailed the financial bungling that took place as early as in the first edition of the IPL.

Dalmiya alleged that the BCCI paid Rs 20.8 crore as compensation to inaugural IPL champions RR and runners-up CSK when the first Champions League Twenty20 was cancelled owing to the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. Dalmiya said, at the most Rs 5.1 crore could be paid to each of the two franchisees, provided they could provide evidence of loss suffered, which was admittedly not provided to the Working Committee. The sources said Dalmiya also pointed out that the IPL's Governing Council paid Rs 26.2 crore to the two franchisees but never informed the Working Committee about it.

There was no obligation of BCCI to pay any money to the franchisees on account of cancellation of T20. This fact was also suppressed from the working committee. Thus, the BCCI overpaid Rs 36.8 crore to the two franchisees. It seems that this money belongs to the member associations of the BCCI and has to be recovered. Apart from this, Rs 10.17 crore were paid to the franchisees as pouring rights, which was to be shared on a some ratio with the BCCI.

The IPL is under the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate's scrutiny for alleged corruption in deals. The league's Chairman and Commissioner have already been suspended after being accused to corruption and bid rigging.