'Benevolent' UT police on sticky wicket

CHANDIGARH: Unhappy over the UTpolice���s ���benevolence���, auditors of the accountantgeneral���s office have objected to the force providing security free ofcost to international cricket matches being hosted by the city. They have askedUT IG SK Jain to make provisions to recover Rs 10.60 lakh from the HaryanaCricket Association (HCA) for providing security during the India-Australiamatch held on October 8, 2007 at Sector 16 stadium.This move attainssignificance in the wake of recent announcement of holding of IPL matches here.Sources in UT police said now they will ask the franchise to pay for thesecurity. Auditors remarked that the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) isa profit-making organization and HCA had also retained the revenue generated bysale of tickets. As it was a profitable event, it was the duty andresponsibility of HCA to pay for the security, auditors said, asking the policedepartment to raise a bill for Rs 10,60,402 for deploying 1,651 cops.However, the auditors remained silent over the issue of UT policeproviding security for international cricket matches played in Mohali. TheChandigarh police has never charged PCA on such occasions. The matter came tolight after an application filed by TOI under the Right to Information (RTCI)Act created ripples. The reply said Rs 23,000 was spent by the UT police on foodand other requirements of their men during the last test played at PCA betweenIndia and England, besides using other resources. It added that they receivedonly Rs 1 lakh from the PCA, that too as donation in the police welfare fund.However, the fees for security should have been deposited in the treasuries headXXIII police collection of payments for service rendered.