Chennai
Dev A. Patel, Secretary of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), has faced a major setback as the Ethics Committee has ordered no coercive actions against former Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan and has suspended the two show-cause notices issued to him. The Committee also directed Patel to provide the minutes of the meeting where the termination of the independent Ethics Committee was resolved, within 20 days, as per legal requirements.
Chauhan, who challenged the validity of the show-cause notices, sought their quashing and requested that AICF refrain from any coercive measures until the complaint is resolved. The Ethics Committee found merit in Chauhan’s allegations against Patel, stating that the solicited information should be accessible to the current Executive Council. It criticized Patel’s interim directions as excessive and disproportionate, noting that there was no clear basis or evidence for the show-cause notices.
The Committee also disputed Patel’s claim that the Ethics Committee’s term had expired, affirming that it continues to be valid as per the AICF’s regulations. The Ethics Committee, which acted swiftly, highlighted procedural improprieties and questioned the legitimacy of the show-cause notices.
