Snoopgate: BCCI asks Sanjay Patel to explain payment of Rs 6 crore to UK firm

New Delhi: After ousting N Srinivasan from the ICC, the new BCCI regime is gunning for administrators considered close to the Tamil Nadu strongman.

According to a report in the Times of India, Srinivasan loyalist and former secretary was on Thursday summoned by the board at an emergency meeting in Mumbai.

BCCI sought an explanation from Patel and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary over the payment of US $900,000 (close to Rs 6 crore) made in 2013-2014 to Page Protective Services, a UK-based security and investigations company.

"Yes, we can confirm PPS was retained by BCCI but due to client confidentiality we cannot offer any further comment," Stuart Page, chairman, Page Protective Services, told TOI.

The report further adds that PPS was hired by the BCCI to keep track of 'important' individuals who were in the anti-Srinivasan camp.

Patel and Chaudhary were summoned by the board, as the the former released the work order for payment and the latter released the funds for the same.

"As treasurer, Chaudhary's job was restricted to releasing the money once the work order was released. Beyond that, the treasurer has little control. The matter to be looked into is who gave Patel the go-ahead to release the work order?" a source told TOI.

Earlier, a two-member committee was formed by the BCCI to look into the payments made by the previous regime in 2014 to PPS.

President Shashank Manohar appointed Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke and BCCI vice-president from south zone Gokaraju Gangaraju to look into the 'unaccounted' payments.

Niranjan Shah of the Saurashtra Cricket Association and a former BCCI vice-president had raised this issue of 'Snoopgate' during BCCI's AGM on November 9.