Kolkata, Dec 31 (IANS) The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and the city police seem on a collision course over fixing responsibility for the Dec 24 light fiasco during the India-Sri Lanka one dayer at the Eden Gardens.
While CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya virtually rubbished the report of a seven-member committee probing the matter, saying it was the brainchild of only one member - a police officer, Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti said the allegation was untrue.

“Whatever is being said is not true. All seven members, including the CAB representative had been taken into confidence during the probe and before filing the report,” said the police commissioner.

Though the report’s findings are yet to be made public, there is intense speculation that it has held the CAB responsible for the flood light failure.

The match was disrupted for 26 minutes with four balls remaining in the Sri Lankan innings after the bulbs in one of the four floodlight towers at the High Court end of the ground conked off. All the agencies involved have denied their responsibility.

The probe committee comprised representatives of the state public works department (PWD), power utility CESC, police and the CAB.

Dalmiya received support from state PWD minister Kshiti Goswami, who said he saw no reason for the blame game over a “mechanical failure”.

“We should not indulge in such things. Instead, we should try to put in place a flawless system to hold future matches in the Eden”.

Goswami also questioned the police commissioner’s comments soon after the match that the CAB would not be given police clearance to hold international matches if it did not take fool-proof measures.

“It’s not right to make such comments. Moreover, the findings of the committee are not the last word. The sports minister should have the last word on the issue. He should decide what is to be done,” he said.

Meanwhile, the issue got political overtones with Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging that Chakrabarti was saying things at the best of the ruling Communist Party of India- Marxist.

“Who is he (Chakrabarti) to decide whether Indian Premier League matches will be played at the Eden Gardens or not? We all want cricket matches to be played at the Eden Gardens. No one should drag politics into sports,” Banerjee said.