BCCI members ‘target’ CEO Rahul Johri, say he is ‘way too expensive’ | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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BCCI members ‘target’ CEO Rahul Johri, say he is ‘way too expensive’

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByHT Correspondent
Aug 18, 2017 09:27 AM IST

The Committee of Administrators (COA) exposed the lavish style of functioning of the Board office bearers Amitabh Choudhary, Anirudh Chaudhary and CK Khanna while the BCCI members feel CEO Rahul Johri is being paid handsomely for towing CoA’s line.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA)’s decision to reveal the astronomical amounts spent on BCCI office-bearers has now opened a can of worms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Several top members are now questioning the worth of appointing an expensive Chief Executive Officer in Rahul Johri.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri draws a salary of Rs. 5 crore a year.(Getty Images)
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri draws a salary of Rs. 5 crore a year.(Getty Images)

In its status report to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the Vinod Rai-led CoA had listed the money spent on air tickets, various kinds of allowances and other expenses on top BCCI officials, particularly acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary, acting treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary and acting president CK Khanna.

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The status report has ever urged the Supreme Court to banish these officials. The CoA feels men like Amitabh and Anirudh are stalling the implementation of the Lodha panel recommendations that were mandated on the BCCI by the top court in July last year.

The CoA figures exposed the lavish style of functioning of BCCI’s office bearers, who on paper are doing an honorary job. According to the statistics revealed to the Supreme Court, the BCCI has spent R1.72 crore on Anirudh and Rs. 1.56 crore on Amitabh. The CoA wants an immediate reduction on these expenses.

Just like they have blocked the Lodha recommendations, senior acting BCCI officials have taken ‘offence’ to the CoA’s move to question their expenses.

“It is amusing that the facts were presented in a manner to show that the office-bearers are benefitting personally. If the money is being spent on air tickets, it is for BCCI work. What the report doesn’t mention is the money spent on Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer etc over one year which is outrageous as compared to that spent on office-bearers,” said a BCCI member on condition of anonymity.

BCCI members feel CEO Rahul Johri is being paid handsomely for towing CoA’s line.

“Johri, who is on a salary of Rs 5 crore a year, has travelled abroad for 123 days and is entitled to $500-a-day in allowance,” said the member. Johri has recently received a 15% hike in wages.

About Rs 40-41 lakh has been spent on allowance (TA/DA) on Johri’s foreign trips while Rs 38 lakhs have been spent on his DA and accommodation within India.

That apart, he is being given well over R50 lakh in home rent allowance and the cost of air tickets on him come to about R70 lakh. Then there are hotel expenses for trips abroad. These perks total up to well over Rs 2.5 crore, said a BCCI source.

The CFO’s travel alone has cost Rs 40 lakh while the travel expense on MV Sridhar, the general manager, comes to Rs 70 lakh.

“All these figures are for one year whereas BCCI officials’ is for 2-3 years,” said the member.

Top BCCI officials have even criticised the way a recent meeting was held in Delhi. The meeting was called by CoA head Vinod Rai earlier this month and all the top employees had to fly down to Delhi from Mumbai.

The additional expenses on a big chunk of senior officials that included the CEO, COO and the GM – was nothing short of “wasteful,” members countered.

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