BFI Suspends Secretary General Hemanta Kalita Over Financial Fraud

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has suspended its Secretary General, Hemanta Kalita, and Treasurer, Digvijay Singh, on charges of financial irregularities. The action follows an investigation conducted by former Delhi High Court judge Sudhir Kumar Jain, who was appointed by the federation to probe allegations of unauthorized fund withdrawals, fraudulent billing, and abuse of power.

BFI President Ajay Singh confirmed the suspensions in an official communication, stating that the inquiry had found both officials guilty of serious financial mismanagement.

"Justice Jain has concluded his investigation and submitted his report, which has found both of you guilty of serious charges of financial irregularities and mismanagement of funds. The findings establish a clear breach of fiduciary duties and responsibilities expected from individuals holding key positions within the federation," Singh stated.

He further added that a copy of the report has been forwarded to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for further action.

Kalita's Presidential Bid Rejected

In another major setback, Kalita’s nomination for the BFI president's post in the upcoming elections has been rejected due to the mandatory cooling-off period required after serving two consecutive four-year terms as an office bearer. Before his tenure as Secretary General (2021-2025), Kalita had served as the Treasurer of the BFI, making him ineligible to contest under the National Sports Code.

Returning Officer R.K. Gauba, after scrutinizing the nominations on Tuesday, declared Kalita ineligible, citing the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. The code mandates a four-year cooling-off period for officials who have served two consecutive four-year terms before they can seek election for another term.

With Kalita's disqualification, the race for the BFI presidency has now narrowed to three candidates: incumbent president Ajay Singh, vice president Rajesh Bhandari, and Kerala State Amateur Boxing Association secretary D. Chandrala.

Nomination Scrutiny Raises Further Disqualifications

The scrutiny of nominations also resulted in the rejection of Karnataka’s Satish N's bid for Secretary General. His nomination was deemed invalid as his proposer, Dhirendra Singh, had also seconded another candidate, Pramod Kumar, for the same position, violating electoral rules.

Additionally, objections were raised against Anil Kumar Bohidar, who had filed nominations for both the Secretary General and Treasurer posts. However, since the objector, Tipun Panda, was neither present nor represented, Bohidar's nomination was provisionally accepted, pending any court order.

Election Schedule

The publication of the final list of valid nominations and withdrawals is set for Wednesday. The long-awaited BFI elections will take place during the Annual General Meeting in Gurugram on March 28, marking a crucial juncture for the federation amidst its ongoing turmoil.