Kirti Azad slams BCCI for threatening to call off series against Kiwis

New Delhi [India], Oct. 4 (ANI): Former cricketer-turned politician Kirti Azad on Tuesday lashed out at the BCCI for threatening to call off the series against New Zealand after the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R.M. Lodha Committee directed banks to freeze accounts of the cricket board. Stating that these are empty threats, Azad said the India-New Zealand series was planned well in advance. "Hotels are already booked, caterers are already ordered. These arrangements are not done in two days," he added. Taking on the BCCI, Azad said the former must keep in mind that this is the judgement of the Supreme Court and not just an observation, adding nobody dares defy the apex court's order. "The BCCI has gone mad. This is the judgment of the highest court and not an observation... We have been writing letters after letters, but they did not take any action.They don't know that it is the Supreme Court. This is not an executive order, but a judicial order. This is a judgment," he said. "They have to tread carefully. Whatever orders they did not follow, they have contempt of court. They were withdrawing money from banks, but the banks stalled it. They were asked to account for the last year as well as this year. But, they did not follow orders." Azad added. The former cricketer pointed out that this is not Ministry of Corporate Affairs or Ministry of Finance or Ministry of Urban Development or Enforcement Directorate, which can be influenced. "They were supposed to have thousands of crores in the accounts, but they have around one thousand crore. They wanted to empty it out before coming. Even when it was not on their agends in their meetings, they distributed 70 to 80 crores among their own people, which they should not have done," Azad told ANI. Justice Lodha-led committee has clarified that they didn't direct banks to freeze the accounts of the cricket board and it can carry on with its routine expenses. "This is wrong that we have frozen accounts of BCCI. We have just written that decisions taken in the EGM (Emergent General Meeting) on September 30 regarding payments to state associations and any other financial matter should be on hold," Justice?Lodha said. The BCCI has had a long-running battle with the Supreme Court, which has demanded a raft of administrative and governance reforms for the world's richest cricket board. (ANI)