Shocker over Gavaskar locker

In the midst of the match fixing scandal, which is having serious implications worldwide, there is a little locker room in a club in Mumbai which is slowly attracting attention in the country. And one wouldn't be surprised if the locker room also gains worldwide attention for the the central character answers to the name of Sunil Manohar Gavaskar.

Actually it is not the locker at the Bombay Gymkhana club but the contents in it which are increasingly attracting attention. Initial reports said that some money had been unearthed from Gavaskar's locker at the club where he apparently goes to play his other favourite sport, badminton. Nothing unusual in anyone keeping money in his locker. But it becomes unusual when the figure turned out to be Rs 1.25 lakh. This, in the thick of the match fixing controversy did raise more than just a few eyebrows. But investigative newspaper reporters, through conversations with officials and employees at the club, have revealed that the figure is in the region of Rs 49 lakhs. This is said to include foreign exchange to the tune of some 6,500 pounds, travellers cheques and other documents. Not only is the figure on the high side, to put it mildly, but the discovery of pounds and dollars also brings in FERA into the picture and highly placed CBI sources are believed to have confirmed that ``this figure is quite close.''

Legal experts feel that apart from a case of tax evasion, Gavaskar could be held guilty under FERA. According to noted legal expert Sunip Sen, ``It all depends on whether this foreign currency is accounted for and whether the amount came in one instalment as a single withdrawal or was a culmination of several withdrawals. But it is certainly worth a look.''

The President of the club, Gautam Thakkar has agreed to meet members of the club on July 5 to make a ``complete disclosure'' on the Gavaskar locker affair. Thakkar has been asked to own responsibilty for all the adverse attention the club has been getting from the Income Tax department following the expose about the contents of Gavaskar's locker, and for having kept the committee in the dark for so long.

And there is another angle also to the story. Thakkar is said to be a close friend of Gavaskar and reports have it that the former Indian captain got away with the special privilege as using the locker without paying for it.

But the massive amount has obliterated all the peripheral issues like the inner wranglings within the club and the pressure applied on Thakkar to step down from office. It is said the club's chief executive officer Colonel Negi had informed Thakkar of the amount in April. The latter had said he would take it up with the executive committee, but did not.

A meeting of the club's executive committee was held a few days ago to decide on the issue of whether Thakkar should step down. About half the committee members agreed that the president should own up responsibility of keeping the club and the income tax authorities in the dark. However, during the meeting, it was felt that any such move would further tarnish the image of the club.

The committee then decided to ask Gavaskar, who is currently abroad, to attend a general body meeting to discuss the issue. A meeting of the club has been called on July 7 where for the first time Gavaskar is expected to be present to give his version of the story.

It is also likely that he will be summoned both by the Income Tax and the CBI to come clean on the amount in his locker. The issue has assumed serious proportions because the disparity between the club's official figure of the amount in Gavaskar's locker and the actual sum is about Rs 48 lakhs. The club had admitted that only Rs 1.25 lakhs were found in Gavaskar's locker.

The club management had maintained that "some cash" had been found in the locker, when it was opened during renovation operations at the club. However, there are unconfirmed reports that the locker was opened by the CBI after a raid on the club premises in the wake of the match-fixing scandal.

It seems to be a matter of some significance that the CBI was obviously acting on a tipoff by insiders in the club about the likely presence of cash in Gavaskar's locker. He is among those whom the CBI is waiting to investigate in connection with the match-fixing scam and the discovery of cash in his locker is considered no accident.

As a follow up to the contents unearthed in the locker, the CBI is said to be actively pursuing Gavaskar's possible involvement in the match-fixing scandal and is ready to grill him on this. All are now waiting for central character to return from abroad and divulge the details for the drama to really gain momentum.