Sourav Ganguly leaves ATK Mohun Bagan following RPSG Group's re-entry into IPL

SOURAV GANGULY IS stepping down from his position in ATK Mohun Bagan Private Limited following RPSG group's re-entry into the Indian Premier League, according to the company's chairman Dr Sanjiv Goenka.

Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly holds a minority share in the company that oversees ATK Mohun Bagan FC, the football team representing Mohun Bagan Athletic Club. He is also a member of the company's board of directors.

But Ganguly is also the President of BCCI, and since yesterday the Sanjiv Goenka-owned RPSG Group (Which previously owned the IPL franchise Rising Pune SuperGiants) successfully bid to purchase an IPL franchise based in Lucknow, his association with a Sanjiv Goenka-owned company has the possibility of raising concerns over conflict of intererst down the line.

While talking to CNBC-TV18, Dr Goenka was asked about this same possible conflict of interest. He answered,

"Well, I think he is going to step down from Mohun Bagan completely... I think today."

The statement, which came out of the blue, even took his interviewer by surprise and Dr Goenka, perhaps realising he had spoken too soon, added,

"It is for Sourav to make the announcement. I mean, sorry. I think I pre-empted it."

80% shares of the ATK Mohun Bagan Private Limited are owned by Kolkata Games & Sports Limited, where Sanjiv Goenka is the majority owner, with Utsav Parekh and Ganguly holding minority shares. The other 20% of the company belongs to the Mohun Bagan Football Club (India) Private Limited, a company owned by the Mohun Bagan Athletic Club.

Sourav Ganguly, who is a self-confessed lifelong Mohun Bagan fan and a former player of Mohun Bagan's cricket team, is said to have played a significant role in making the deal between KGSPL and Mohun Bagan happen. 

UPDATE: Sourav Ganguly officially left the company by the next day, with the news being confirmed by multiple media outlets on 28th October 2021.

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