The Pendse commission report, avoluminous investigation into the deep rot of illegalities in the functioningof the Goa cricket association with one of Goas most powerful politicians,DayanandNarvekar at its helm, has been equally voluminous in its clearindictment of him and his associates.
The Commission constituted toinvestigate into the GCA functioning as well as the infamous ticket gatescamrevolving around the printing of fake tickets for an Indian Australia ODI,has ripped apart the sordid functioning of Narvekar. The words used to damn himand his close associates are criminal indictments that call for criminalaction. On the ticket scam Pendse concludes that Narvekar, VinodPhadke andShankardas(then GCA treasurer) had“conspired to make unlawful gain by printing and distribution of fake tickets”
Pendse report had directly implicatedMessrs. Narvekar and Phadke for ticketgate. The Report says that the duo were“directly interested in secretly printing, marketing and selling the ticketsand whole exercise was carried out in a secretive and suspicious manner”.Retired Justice Pendse infers thereafter “The inference is inescapable thatsecretive printing and distribution has enabled circulation of bogus ticketsand enriched the coffers of office bearers” and “the inevitable conclusion thatNarvekar, Phadke and Shankardas (Then GCA Treasurer) were involved in the printingand distribution of fake tickets.” Thereport further states that Narvekar “was the supreme commander yet claims to bewithout responsibility” yet he tried to excuse himself.
The GCA President in waiting Phadke tooisn’t all that innocent. Pendse states that transferring the work of printingof tickets to Shankardas and getting the tickets printed in Hyderabad and thenfeigning innocence that he did not keep records (which was his responsibilityas Secretary) implicates him too.
On his functioning as GCA President,Justice Pendse makes an observation which should be the basis of criminalaction. “He (Narvekar) observed every rule in its breach and treated the fundsof the association as his private property”
Pendse had pointed out that Narvekar holdingan important position in the Government had assumed that he could flout rulesand get away with it. The report actually names him as the master puppeteer whowas holding the reins of Messrs Phadke and Shankardas.
The same report later in its first recommendation states that Narvekarand Phadke be never allowed to participate in the affairs of GCA. Why is Phadkecontesting for the President’s post backed by ManoharParrikar?. He is after allthe man indicted by the Commission.
Will the robbers of Goan Cricket bebooked ever and put behind bars? Can we trust the present Govt to adopt theCommissions’ Report and deliver justice despite the report lying with the LawDepartment for almost a decade. You have to also consider the fact that thePresident-in-waiting Phadke is Francis D’sousa, the Law Minister’s close friend.
