Srinagar cricket league organisers flee without paying bills, case filed

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered a case after the Indian Heaven Premier League, a private cricket tournament in Srinagar that featured international stars, including Chris Gayle, ended in chaos, with organisers allegedly fleeing the city without clearing hotel bills or payments to officials and players.

A police officer said a case has been registered at the Raj Bagh police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). “We have filed a case for breach of trust and cheating. Investigations are underway,” a senior officer told The Tribune.

The league, which began on October 25 at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium, featured eight teams and was inaugurated by Sports Minister Satish Sharma. It was organised by a group called Yuva Society, reportedly based in Mohali, Punjab.

The league, which was supposed to conclude on November 8, ended abruptly on Sunday as non-local players refused to turn up for matches due to unpaid dues and mismanagement allegations.

Trouble erupted when players and officials were informed by hotel staff that the organisers had allegedly left without paying dues. According to several participants, calls to the organisers went unanswered and their phones were switched off.

Melissa Juniper, an umpire from England, told mediapersons that “the organisers have not paid anyone. The league management is not answering calls and has disappeared. Hotels too haven’t been paid. The management fled late last night without informing anyone, leaving the players behind”.

Following the controversy, the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council distanced itself from the event, clarifying that it had “no direct involvement” and had only provided the venue for use.

On Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir BJP condemned the organisers, terming the episode a “scam that has brought shame to the sports fraternity of Kashmir”.

“This entire episode reeks of mismanagement, deceit and possible fraud,” BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said, asking, “How was such a mega event allowed inside a government-owned facility without proper consent and approval? Was the Sports Minister unaware of this? If permission was not granted, then who allowed the organisers to occupy Bakshi Stadium?”

A member of the support staff blamed the organisers for the chaos. “They couldn’t get the response they were expecting from the league. It turned out to be a financial loss for them,” the member said. He added that the income generated was “very little compared to the daily expenses".

The situation worsened on Saturday night when several non-local players met the organisers to discuss their pending payments. The talks failed, and the players decided not to participate further.

“On Sunday morning, everyone was shocked to learn that the organisers had reportedly left without clearing the dues,” the team member said.

Sources added that after the matter was widely reported on Sunday, a foreign embassy in New Delhi took it up with the Indian Government, following which the Jammu and Kashmir authorities initiated action.