Bihar Cricket Association Suspends Aditya Verma’s Son, Lakhan Raja For Two Years

Lakhan Raja, son of the IPL petitioner Aditya Verma, has received a two-year suspension from The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) for allegedly participation in an unsanctioned tournament as well as a corporate tournament. Lakhan had featured in both the events without taking permission from the state body.

The suspended player had later sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play for another state. However, the BCCI has refused to grant him the permission for the same.

Meanwhile, Verma is not pleased with the whole incident. In fact, he has accused BCA secretary Rabi Shankar Prasad of making his son a ‘scapegoat’ due to their bitter rivalry. It should be noted that Verma is the secretary of the unrecognised Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB). On the other hand, BCCI has recognised the Bihar CA as the parent body of state cricket.

“My son played in Hyderabad Cricket League for India Cements and suddenly he was handed a suspension letter that he did not seek prior approval of Bihar CA. He was not even show caused and straightaway suspended, which is in violation of principles of natural justice. I have already filed a case against unlawful suspension,” a miffed Verma said.

The BCCI then further dealt a blow to Lakhan by not granting him the permission to play for another state. Saba Karim, BCCI’s General Manager of Cricket Association, made it clear that Lakhan would not get the NOC unless he gets the clearance from his home state,

The Bihar CA president Gopal Bohra in his letter cited the reason for Lakhan’s suspension.

“Firstly you played/participated in a cricket tournament which was not affiliated/registered either by your home state cricket association, i.e. Bihar Cricket Association or the BCCI, which shows your purposeful negligence regarding the rules governing the conduct of tournaments and registration.

“Secondly, and much to our astonishment, you again violated the rules by playing in a domestic league tournament of another state association in the same session, i.e. Hyderabad Cricket Association’s A1 Division League representing team India Cements , without getting a prior permission /information from us,” Bohra wrote.

Bohra also pointed out that Lakhan had himself signed self declaration form of the state association, barring him from playing unsanctioned tournaments.

“So as per guidelines and rules of the BCCI regarding the registration of a player, the COM of Bihar Cricket Association in its meeting dated 23/08/2018, has clearly made a decision that Mr. Lakhan Raja is suspended for upcoming two domestic seasons, i.e. 2018-19 and 2019-20, and thereby no NOC shall be issued to him,” Bohra added.