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Deepak Sharma, CEO of Punjab Cricket Association, must resign by February 18 or face removal. An ombudsman found he failed to disclose his role at the Punjab State Housing Federation, leading to allegations of financial misconduct and misrepresentation during his tenure.
Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Deepak Sharma has been asked to submit his resignation by Wednesday, February 18, by PCA Ethics Officer-cum-Ombudsman Justice Jaspal Singh (retd.), according to the Hindustan Times.
Should he fail to resign, the council will reportedly proceed with his removal without further consultation.
Why has Sharma been asked to resign?
Former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Jaspal Singh (retd), acting as ombudsman, found that Sharma failed to reveal his role with the Punjab State Housing Federation (Housefed) during his tenure at the PCA.
The association’s ethics officer and ombudsman determined that he had received benefits while working for the cricket body between 2014 and 2015, from which he received salaries from both organisations during overlapping periods, the report noted.
The ombudsman noted that Sharma’s actions constituted both misrepresentation of facts and financial misconduct. The order, issued on 13 February.
What did Justice Singh say?
“It is a undisputed fact and also stands established from the documents available on record a s well as the non-denial of the Respondent No 1 that the salary was drawn for the overlapping months of 2014-2015 from the HOUSEFED a s well a s PCA which is suggestive of the fact that Respondent No. 1 did not disclose the real and actual facts to the PCA office with regard to his employment with HOUSEFED at the time, he joined and served PCA in pursuance of his appointment letter dated 01.04.2014,” Bar and Bench quoted Justice Singh as saying.
He added, “Thus, it is evident that he misrepresented the actual facts and availed of the financial benefit by drawing salary from two different sources for the same period and committed misconduct just to obtain financial benefit.”
This came on the heels of the review of a complaint by PCA life member and former first-class cricketer Rakesh Handa, who had accused Sharma of financial wrongdoing, conflicts of interest, and other irregularities. Handa had claimed that the PCA apex council did not take action even though the matter was raised at the 2025 governing body meeting.
After examining documents and hearing from all parties, the ombudsman found no conclusive evidence to support allegations of interference in staff appointments, selection processes, or misuse of PCA assets.
However, Sharma was found guilty of irregularities related to dual employment and receiving overlapping salaries.
‘I used to come here as part-timer’: Sharma
Sharma informed the ombudsman that he intends to resign from his position. Justice Singh accepted the offer, noting that although the charges of misrepresentation, financial gain, and ethical misconduct were substantiated, a prompt and unconditional resignation could help prevent further disruption within the institution and avoid prolonged legal proceedings.
As per a HT report, Sharma said, “I have always worked for cricket. In 2014, when I started working at the PCA, I used to come here as a part-timer. In 2015, when I began working here permanently, I left my previous job.”
About the Author
Garvit Bhirani
Garvit Bhirani is a journalist covering national and international news stories. He is a Deputy Chief Producer at LiveMint. He has previously worked f...Read More
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