Sandeep Sarkar, Kolkata: Cricketers are being given an opportunity to play for money. Involved member of the CAB! He is also a committee member of the governing body of Bengal Cricket. Submitting all the documents and complaining to CAB is of no avail. Rather it is being covered up. The CAB is not saying anything about the nature of the investigation, whether any investigative steps are being taken at all. Lawyer Sayantan Sinha has sent a letter directly to Sports Minister Indranil Khan, raising such explosive allegations one after another. With which CAB is again fussing.

Lawyer Sayantan Sinha sent a lengthy e-mail to state sports minister Indranil Khan on Sunday afternoon, June 28 (a copy of which is with ABP Live Bengal). Sayantan wrote there, corruption, extortion and abuse of power of CAB. Sayantan Sinha wrote, ‘On August 14, 2025, I sent a detailed complaint to the CAB President, Secretary, Ombudsman, Ethics Officer and members of the Apex Council. Keeping in mind the importance of the complaint, I also sent copies to various vigilance authorities and concerned.

Sayantan Sinha wrote, ‘I complained against CAB committee member and Ambarish Mitra associated with various cricketing activities. Because, in the public arena, documents and information about money transactions were circulating in various WhatsApp groups. What initially appeared to be extorting money from budding cricketers and their guardians with promises of opportunities, clubs, matches and selections. I demanded an impartial inquiry and until it is concluded the accused should be banned from all cricketing activities.’

Right after that, lawyer Sayantan wrote to the Sports Minister directly bringing the CAB to justice, ‘but unfortunately since the complaint was made on August 14, 2025 till date no one has been informed about any independent investigation, disciplinary action. Ambarish Mitra is also associated with cricketing activities. From distribution of awards to being seen as manager of various teams and performing other duties. Recently you have been given a proposal to open a helpline to complain against corruption. Welcome to that.’

Sayantan has appealed to the Sports Minister to inquire about the action taken by the CAB in response to his complaint. It should also be ensured that there is or is being a genuine investigation into the complaint.

Sayantan’s letter bombed the Maidan again. Incidentally, last year, lawyer Suman Keertanya first made the same complaint against Ambarish Mitra. Screenshots of various online transactions and transcripts of WhatsApp chats were submitted to the CAB ombudsman along with the complaint. CAB’s ombudsman, former Chief Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya also heard about it. The news was written by ABP Live Bangla.

Later, however, Suman Kirtania withdrew the complaint for some unknown reason. On the other hand, a person named Mohammad Azharuddin submitted a counter letter to the CAB following the complaint. There he claimed that the screenshot submitted of the WhatsApp chat with Ambarish is of the conversation with him. Along with that, Azharuddin claimed that he and Ambarish had taken donations from various places for the formation of the High Court Club team, the purchase of jerseys and other cricketing equipment for the cricketers and the cost of food. They have not done anything unethical and in the atmosphere of CAB elections there is a stir about it. However, a part of the Maidan raised the question, if the grant is taken for the formation of the High Court club, why is there an allegation of giving opportunities to different age-based teams of Bengal in exchange for money? It was alleged that the Ombudsman did not take any action.

Sayantan made the same complaint again after Suman Keertanya withdrew the complaint. He blasted that CAB did not take any action. At that time Mahadev Chakraborty was a member of the Apex Committee of CAB. He told ABP Live Bangla, ‘This complaint was discussed in the apex committee meeting last year. However, the then CAB Secretary Naresh Ojha said in the meeting, if the complaint against the railway worker Ambarish is stirred up more, the job of the accused may be strained. That’s why no further progress was made. I too was later removed from the Apex Committee. This is all I know about the second complaint against Ambarish last year.’

CAB treasurer Sanjay Das was contacted in this regard. He said, ‘I don’t know anything about this yet. This is the duty of the ombudsman. If any letter is sent from the sports minister or his office, CAB’s ombudsman will surely answer it.

The accused, Ambarish, came to the CAB as a representative of the Netaji Subhash Institute, a club of railways. ABP told Live Bangla, ‘I am just a member. Every time such complaints are raised in the atmosphere of CAB elections. Last time also I was charged just before the AGM. Joint secretary election is coming up this time too. Such allegations are being made before that.’ Ambarish also said, ‘I don’t know what letter has been given to the sports minister. However, after the complaint was raised last time, I was also called by the railway vigilance. I showed all the information documents. They have again sent a representative to CAB for clearance. I will go if called again.’

Whether the sports minister takes any action on this or not, what stand CAB takes, is waiting to be seen.