New Delhi, Oct 13 The infighting in the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) escalated on Tuesday, with secretary general Pramod Kumar accusing president Ajay Singh and executive director Col. Arun Malik of “criminal intimidation” to thwart a proposed no-confidence motion against Singh, a charge Malik dismissed as “baseless”.
“All these allegations are baseless and not true. We have done no such thing,” Malik told PTI.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi dated October 13, a copy of which is with PTI, Kumar alleged a “serious governance breakdown” within the federation, claiming that a majority of affiliated state units and executive committee members had submitted formal requisitions seeking a no-confidence motion against Singh.
“As the duly elected Secretary General of BFI, I am bound by the Federation’s constitution to honour these requisitions and carry out the democratic mandate of our member units,” Kumar wrote.
He alleged that Singh, through Malik, was running the federation’s daily operations and issuing instructions “without lawful standing”.
“Basic sports governance and the rules of Natural Justice require that an office bearer facing a motion of No Confidence must not use executive power to defeat or disrupt that process.
“However, Ajay Singh, in a blatant manner through his administrative appointee, Col. (Retd) Arun Malik, continues running daily operations and issuing instructions without lawful standing.
“They have resorted to criminal intimidation, issuing threats to me as well as State affiliated Units and are sending unauthorised notices on a daily basis in an attempt to stop me from fulfilling my constitutional responsibilities,” he wrote.
Kumar further alleged that state associations supporting the motion were being threatened with suspension and the appointment of ad hoc committees.
“This criminal intimidation also targets our affiliated state units. Member associations across the country face intense pressure and threats of suspension, including, but not limited to, threats of ad hoc committees replacing them if they support the no-confidence motion.”
He also claimed that his access to the federation’s official email account had been revoked without his knowledge or consent.
“In an effort to paralyse my office and obstruct official work, my federation email access was abruptly revoked without my knowledge or consent,” Kumar wrote, adding that the move prevented him from performing his duties and raised concerns over the security of federation records.
“The hostility has grown so intense that I hold grave concerns for my personal safety as well. If any physical harm comes to me, Ajay Singh and Col. (Retd) Arun Malik must be held directly accountable for the said harm to me,” Kumar wrote.
Malik, however, denied that Kumar’s email access had been revoked.
“Nobody has revoked his email access. He can get it checked, we have no issues,” he said.
The latest flare-up comes amid a dispute over a proposed no-confidence motion against Singh, with Kumar seeking to convene a Special General Meeting (SGM) on October 28 to put the motion to a vote.
Malik, however, said the meeting could not be held, calling it unconstitutional.
“There can’t be a meeting because it is unconstitutional. Even if some people gather to meet, it will have no relevance because it is not as per the constitution,” he said.
(PTI News)
