The Ethics Officer-cum-Ombudsman of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), Justice (retd) Jaspal Singh, has directed PCA Chief Executive Officer Deepak Sharma to tender his unconditional resignation by February 18. Failing this, his services will be deemed automatically terminated, according to the order dated February 13.The order states that charges against Sharma of drawing salaries through dual employment — at PCA and HOUSEFED during 2014-15 — by concealing relevant facts and documents have been proven.“It is evident that he misrepresented the actual facts and availed financial benefit by drawing salary from two different sources for the same period and committed misconduct to obtain financial gain,” the order said.The CEO and the cricket body defended the misconduct as “a typographical error which both failed to notice in the appointment letter dated April 1, 2014” and prayed for the dismissal of the complaint.During the course of arguments, Sharma had offered to resign from the post of CEO. The order further clarifies that Sharma will receive service benefits for the period he has served.The complaint was filed by Delhi resident Rakesh Handa, a suspended life member of the PCA, who alleged that the PCA Apex Council failed to act despite the issue being raised at the 2025 Governing Body meeting.Handa, 69, had also levelled allegations of irregularities in the appointment of Manager (Maintenance) Ajay Garg and Manager (Accounts and Finance) Bhupinder Kumar, claiming they were Sharma’s school friends.Additionally, allegations were made that Sharma exercised undue influence in the selection of his son for the Punjab state team during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons and misused PCA assets (Innova car) for personal purposes. However, these charges were not substantiated. The Ombudsman has directed the PCA Apex Council to make interim arrangements to ensure the smooth functioning of the association.
