Bhakta issues legal notice to judo trio

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-02-14
MAPUSA- The Goa Judo Association (GJA) president, Mr Gurudatta Bhakta has denied and out rightly rejected all allegations levelled against him by the secretary, treasurer and joint secretary, stating that he had issued a legal notice of defamation against all the three association members.
Mr Bhakta said that his 11-year tenure in GJA has been clean, transparent and fruitful.
“I am clean and all accounts every year have been audited besides they have been maintained very transparent. I have also taken initiatives and appointed various coaches during my tenure,” Mr Bhakta said, adding that as president it was his right to question why and how an amount Rs 80,000 was spent in one day. Mr Bhakta said that it was this action of his that had exposed the illegalities going on and in order to cover this an impression of his being involved in this fraud was sought to be created.
“Rs 80,000 was spent in one day and with whose approval this is what I sought to know. I have never signed any cheques just unnecessarily. No doubt money has to be used for the betterment of the sport but at the same time it cannot be wasted in the name of the sport,” stated Mr Bhakta.
Mr Bhakta stressed that he still continued to be the president of the association and his removal as has been claimed by some committee members is a complete ‘illegal’ move.
‘‘We are having our general body meeting on February 24 and representatives from the Federation of India and the SAG will also be attending and then notices will also be issued to the three members of the Judo Association who have been responsible for all this mess and corruption,” Mr Bhakta added. He emphasized that his functioning was clean and transparent and said that the whole sports fraternity was aware of his style of functioning and his ‘clean work’ whereby he has always worked for the betterment of sports by keeping controversies at bay.
Meanwhile, the Goa Judo Association (GJA) has taken a strong exception to allegations made by Mr Bhakta, who they claim remains suspended. Vice-president Mr Sandesh Barazankar has now been asked to officiate as the president, the GJA said.