Baroda Cricket Association forms five-member sexual harassment committee

VADODARA: The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has formed a sexual harassment committee consisting of five members. The move has come in the wake of harassment allegations made against former India player Atul Bedade by a Baroda woman cricketer.
Bedade was suspended in March and an inquiry was initiated against him. But the BCA recently revoked his suspension as the complainant refused to pursue her complaint.
“The committee consists of BCA secretary, Ajit Lele, apex council members Jayshree Kulkarni and Kamalkant Pandya, Priyanka Verma, HR head and Sweta Vyas, an external member,” said Satyajit Gaekwad, chairman of BCA’s press and publicity committee. The committee will inquire into complaints of sexual harassment and ensure action against the culprit.
A rift had surfaced in the BCA some days ago when Lele refused to sign the letter that revoked suspension of Bedade, who was sacked from his job as coach of Baroda senior women’s coach.
Lele had demanded that a detailed inquiry should be done against Bedade but BCA president, Pranav Amin was in favour of revoking the suspension.
BCA has also decided to organise its pending annual general meetings (AGMs) of 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 on July 23 for passing the annual accounts.