New Delhi, Jul 4 (IANS): Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Executive Council member Bholanath Singh has requested the National Olympic Council's President Narinder Batra and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju to launch a probe into alleged acts of fraud committed by IOA Treasurer Anandeshwar Panday.

In a letter addressed to Batra, a copy of which was also marked to Rijiju and Sports Secretary Ravi Mittal, Singh alleges Panday, who is also the Secretary General of the Handball Federation of India (HFI) has allowed for the federation's bank account to be operated by Tejraj Singh as co-signatory. Singh says that Tejraj Singh was elected as a joint secretary of the HFI in its November 2017 elections.

"Tejraj Singh was holding the post of Treasurer in HFI till the new elections were held in the year 2017 and Tejraj Singh was made treasurer early 2017 after Bashir Ahmed Khan resigned as Treasurer over dispute with Anandeshwar Panday," says Singh in the letter.

Singh attached a copy of a cheque dated November 27, 2018 for Rs 9.9 lakh. "This cheque has signature of Anandeshwar Panday and Tejraj Singh. Please note that Anandeshwar Panday and Tejraj Singh have signed hundreds and hundreds of cheques from 2017 to January 2020 i.e after which from February 2020 the signatures were allowed to actual treasurer Prithipal Singh Saluja. The cheques in HFI can only be signed from amongst any 2 of the 3 office bearers of HFI," he says in the letter.

"Since Tejraj Singh is not an office bearer of the HFI, his continuation as a signatory in bank account is a serious illegal action and amounts to fraud in connivance with Anandeshwar Panday from 2017 till January, 2020.

"Here it should be noted that Tejraj Singh is a government employee who has not taken NOC from Government of Rajasthan has been fraudulently signing cheques as Treasurer of HFI when he actually is not Treasurer of HFI from 6 November, 2017 till end January, 2020. He has thus committed serious fraud in connivance with Secretary General HFI Anandeshwar Panday. We now request President IOA and Sports Minister to enquire into this fraud and take appropriate action as per law of the land.

"Further this is a serious case of financial fraud and irregularity which has been committed in connivance with the Secretary General of HFI, Anandeshwar Panday. It is alledged that both have also misused and diverted funds to their benefit by singing cheques and financial papers, this issue may please be enquired into."