NT Reporter
Panaji
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday dismissed a petition filed by Goa Cricket Association (GCA), which sought to block a state-ordered inquiry into its financial affairs.
GCA had challenged a May 2026 order of the District Registrar directing a panel of independent auditors to investigate allegations of financial mismanagement and siphoning of public funds within the association.
The High Court said that the scope of its power of superintendence over courts and tribunals within its jurisdiction is confined to cases where a court or tribunal has exercised a power it does not possess, failed to exercise a power it does possess, or exercised its power in a manner amounting to a transgression of jurisdiction.
The court said that while exercising supervisory jurisdiction, it does not act as a court of first appeal to reappreciate or reweigh the evidence or facts on which the challenged determination is based. The legal battle began after a GCA life member filed complaints alleging that substantial public funds were misappropriated, purchase orders were issued without tenders, and unauthorised expenditure was incurred for various events.
“The High Court is not to substitute its own decision on facts and conclusion for that of the inferior court or tribunal,” the HC.
“The impugned order is an intervening order to facilitate an inquiry if found necessary after examining the independent audit report,” the court also said.
Finding no infirmity in the Registrar’s actions, the court dismissed the petition, noting that GCA faced no immediate adverse civil consequences from the interim audit.
However, the court granted a one-week extension of the interim stay on the inquiry to allow the GCA to prepare further legal steps.
