IHPL organisers still owe us Rs 51 lakh, says Radisson Hotel Srinagar owner Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya
KINS Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 5 (KINS): The controversy surrounding the Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL) has deepened, with prominent hotelier and Radisson Hotel Srinagar owner, Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya, revealing that the tournament’s organisers still owe the hotel Rs 51 lakh in unpaid dues. The league, which was touted as Jammu and Kashmir’s biggest franchise-based T20 tournament, was suspended midway following allegations of mismanagement, financial irregularities, and fraud.
Speaking to reporters according to news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), Chaya said the hotel had provided accommodation and facilities to players, staff, and officials associated with the IHPL, but the organisers fled without clearing their bills.
They stayed in our hotel, enjoyed all facilities, but left without paying Rs 51 lakh,” Chaya said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police have already registered an FIR against the organisers after several players, hotel staff, and vendors lodged complaints of cheating and breach of trust. Sources said the main organisers are currently absconding, while investigations are underway to trace their whereabouts.
The IHPL, which began with much fanfare at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium, was projected as a platform to promote cricket talent from Jammu and Kashmir. However, within days of its launch, the tournament ran into controversy after revelations that it was not approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council has since distanced itself from the event.
Players from across the country who had participated in the tournament also claimed they were not paid their match fees. Some said they were stranded in hotels after the organisers disappeared, prompting intervention by local authorities.
The IHPL fiasco has raised serious questions about oversight, accountability, and the granting of permissions for private sporting events in Jammu and Kashmir. (KINS)
