RCA plays down survey by Income Tax sleuths

Jaipur, Sep 2 (UNI) The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has asserted that the I-T Department conducted a routine survey and not a raid as was being reported in certain sections of the media.

According to RCA secretary Subhash Joshi, the survey was merely a routine one with prior and formal intimation to the association.

Earlier reports claimed that the Income Tax Department sleuths carried out a raid at the RCA office at the SMS Stadium here, in a tax deduction matter regarding two one-day cricket matches held here.

An official of the Department said the search operation was carried out late last night to verify whether the amount due out of over Rs 20,000 payments made by the RCA in the past three or four years in TDS have been deducted and deposited in the department or not.

Sources said the department has taken into its possession in the raid which lasted till midnight all the computer datas available in RCA office related to the holding of two one-day cricket matches here -- India VS Sri Lanka one-dayer on October 31 last year and England VS Rajasthan XI tie on March 25 this year.

The matter of awarding Rs 10 lakh to M S Dhoni for his outstanding performance here against England was also likely to be a subject of investigation as to wheather the TDS was deducted or not.

RCA President Lalit Modi, who was reportedly out of town yesterday, has not yet disclosed the audited accounts of the two matches. He had earlier announced to disclose the same within three days after the matches were over.

The heavy payments made by the RCA in salaries to its staff, payments of TA and DA besides the contracts involving huge amounts without following the tender procedures might also come under scrutinee, the sources said.

RCA vice-president Bimal Soni was also said to be out out of town, but secretary Subhash Joshi said the search was just a routine matter of the Income Tax Department to investigate into TDS.

RCA CEO Gajraj Singh Rathore also said the Income Tax Department was investigating into all the payments made by the RCA which amounted to over Rs 20,000.

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