MUMBAI: Apex Council member and former first-class player Kiran Powar has asked Mumbai Cricket Association president Vijay Patil to take “legal action” against Mumbai senior team selector Anand Yalvagi for “defaming the MCA and its esteemed committee members forthwith.”
On October 7, Yalvagi, who too is a former first-class cricketer, had complained to Patil that Powar threatened him, asking him to include a certain player in Mumbai’s team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
However, in an email (TOI has a copy) to Patil, titled ‘Threats and defamatory words used by Yalvigi against the members of the Apex Council of MCA as well as myself,’ Powar has responded strongly to Yalvagi’s allegations, accusing him to have been abusive towards Apex Council members.
Following is the content of the email: “Sir, I am constrained to place on record certain facts that have deep concern not only with my reputation but also challenge the sanctity and status of the functioning of MCA in its entirety.
“Yalvigi has been appointed as one of the Selectors of Mumbai Senior Selection Committee and we have been friends for the past 32 years having played a lot of cricket together at junior and senior level together. Since then we have been conversing with each other on various issues from cricket to family and friends and shared a cordial association.
“I came to be appointed as a member of the Apex Committee in the year 2019, whereas MrAnand at then was looking after his various businesses. As stated earlier although we shared a cordial friendship since last 32 years, there have been various differences between me and Mr. Anand. The difference of opinion was not limited to the manner in which the management of MCA functions but also in regards to prospective and challenging players that could prove to be assets to the MCA. During our conversations Mr. Anand on various occasions demeaned the other Committee members as well as members of the Apex Committee in his own way, however owing to friendship of 32 years and more pertinently taking into account the reputation of MCA, I refrained from disclosing the talks by Mr. Anand in public domain till date. However as stated at this juncture I am constrained to do so.
“As you are aware the selection of players has been going on for the past few weeks and in regards to this, me and Mr Anand were speaking to each other regularly. Mr Anand during such talks informed me that he was keen towards selection of some players, which were his choice and as per the recommendations of the Secretary Mr Naik. Being a selector it is undisputed that it is his discretion but time and again it appeared that the selection process was dominating and not discretionary. The said Mr. Anand, has always been abusive towards the members of the Apex Committee of the MCA with me and every time I reminded him that the MCA is a reputed institution and maligning the name of the MCA proves to be detrimental to the future prospects of the MCA. But as these conversations were only limited to me and him I did not pay much heed.
“During one such causal talks on 7/10/2021, the said Mr. Anand again showered abuses to the members of the Apex Council claiming that they all are unprofessionals and deserved to be fired at one go. He also coerced stating that the secretary Mr Naik is keeping a close watch on all the members and soon they shall face consequences. Mr Anand continued to use slanderous language against the MCA and its Committee members, stating that MCA is a broker’s paradise for upcoming players and is a shame to the BCCI. Witnessing such offensive language against the MCA and its members, I asked Mr. Anand to stop this continuous maligning of MCA and its members but he continued to do so. As this was a regular affair on his part, I did not pay much heed and disconnected the call.
“However, I was completely taken aback the same afternoon of 7/10/2021, to read the contents of the Email purportedly written by the said Mr. Anand to your kind self giving a total contradictory version of the conversation between me and him in the morning that was going viral and covered by almost all the electronic media. The said Mr. Anand was in fact, abusive towards me as well as the MCA and its members as always. During the entire talks, he continued to abuse me and the Committee members in a filthy language which is contrary to what is mentioned in the email appearing on electronic media. It is apparent that the said Mr Anand in order to shield his own guilt and avoid any coercive action sent an email having false and frivolous contents to your good office. Furthermore, the email was shared in electronic media to safeguard his own wrongdoings and in addition, to defame the MCA club and its members in public domain. It is abundantly clear that the words of Mr. Anand that soon the members will face consequences have been put in reality by divulging the inter-office communications in public.
“The surfacing of an interoffice communication being a purported Email dt.7/10/2021 sent by the said Mr. Anand to your good office clearly discloses the intentions of the said Mr. Anand of dis-reputing and damaging the reputation of MCA and its members in public. It is needless to say that such conduct on the part of any person associated with the club shall prove detrimental to the future interests of the club and needs to be curbed at this very moment, to avoid further defamation. Myself and many other members have been associated with the MCA for years together having worked diligently with utmost integrity in all the events of the MCA. The false and malicious contents of the Email dated 7/10/2021 are not only defaming the MCA but also ransacks the stature the MCA has earned for years together.
“In view of the aforesaid, your goodself being at the helm of affairs is requested to kindly initiate legal action against the said Mr Anand for the defaming MCA and its esteemed (Apex) Committee members forthwith. It is also placed on record that there is a necessity to adopt legal proceedings so as to create deterrence to people like Mr Anand and all those who support such malicious wrongdoings. Prompt and effective legal action against persons who act against the interest of the MCA needs to be initiated at the earliest,” wrote Powar in his email.
“A show-cause notice will now be sent to Yalvagi, and he’ll be asked to submit all the proofs regarding his allegations,” said a source in the MCA.
“I’ve no comments to make,” Yalvigi said.
