CORRUPTION & CONFLICT OF INTEREST BY DIBYENDU BARUA VICE PRESIDENT OF ALL INDIA CHESS FEDERATION
Press News: We take this opportunity to draw your kind attention to the gross instances of mismanagement and corruption by the office bearers of the All India Chess Federation. As you are aware recently Indian chess players scripted history by registering one of the greatest sporting achievements in the history of Indian sports by winning the Gold Medal in the Chess Olympiad in Hungary in both Men’s and Women’s sections.
Even as the Indian Chess community was celebrating the success of the Indian team, certain officials took a chance to enrich themselves by falsely claiming credit for the success of the Indian Chess Team. Mr. Dibyendu Barua is currently the Vice President of All India Chess Federation. As the Vice President of AICF, he is a member of the Executive Council, which is the decision-making body of AICF।
He is also a member of the Selection Committee of AICF despite owning a private chess coaching center, Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy. Being a decision-making authority of AICF, Mr. Barua appointed himself as the Head of the Indian Delegation for the Chess Olympiad 2024 at Budapest, Hungary. Thereafter, he decided to award himself a sum of Rs. 10 lakhs for the performance of the Indian chess players.
Thus, it is evident that Mr. Barua misused his position as the Vice President of AICF and member of the Selection Committee, to appoint himself the Head of the Indian Delegation, and then award himself for the performance of the Indian Team. It is unusual in sports for a head of a mission to claim credit for the performance of the players. Moreover, Mr. Barua had neither accompanied the team in the Opening Ceremony nor in the felicitation ceremony by the Honorable Prime Minister of India after the team returned. According to reliable sources, Mr. Barua arrived in Budapest 4 days after the start of the Olympiad and returned 8 days after the Indian Team returned. He was touring Europe with his family after the Chess Olympiad. His flight ticket was paid for by the Sports Authority of India।
The matters mentioned above were reported to AICF by Mr. Abhijit Mondal, a notable chess player and coach, but it has fallen on deaf ears of AICF officials. We would therefore request you to highlight the following information to bring transparency in the functioning of AICF which is a National Sports Federation, and receives taxpayers’ money from the Government of India।
Mr. Dibyendu Barua has misused his post as Vice President of AICF to appoint himself Chef-demission of the Indian Team and reward himself for an achievement he did not deserve. It is also a Conflict of interest when a proprietor of a Chess Academy is appointed as a member of the Selection Committee।
The Ministry of Sports should also ensure that the amount sanctioned for the Indian National Team should not be misused for family trips and vacations by the officials।
We hope that the concerned authorities will take the necessary steps to bring transparency in the functioning of AICF and such malpractices will stop at the earliest।
