Kolkata: Former Indian cricket captain and noted sports administrator has issued a clarification denying media reports that alleged he acted as an intermediary between and Baharampur MP regarding a possible by-election from the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency.

In a statement addressed to media houses on June 6, Ganguly described as “incorrect and untrue” the claims published in a report titled “একের বিরুদ্ধে এক’ সূত্র নিয়ে দিল্লি যাচ্ছেন মমতা”, which appeared on the front page of Ananda Bazar Patrika on June 4.

According to the report, Ganguly had allegedly approached Yusuf Pathan on behalf of Mamata Banerjee and conveyed a message asking the parliamentarian to resign from his Lok Sabha seat to facilitate Banerjee’s candidature in a future by-election from the constituency. The report further claimed that Pathan was unwilling to comply with the alleged request.

Rejecting the allegations, Ganguly stated that he was never asked by Mamata Banerjee to convey any message to Yusuf Pathan. He asserted that he had neither approached nor contacted the MP regarding his parliamentary position or any related political matter.

“It is necessary to place on record that I was never requested or asked by Mamata Banerjee to convey any message from her to Yusuf Pathan, whether to step down from his parliamentary seat, as alleged or otherwise,” Ganguly said in his clarification.

He further stated that since no such communication ever took place, the question of Yusuf Pathan responding in the manner described in the article did not arise.

Expressing concern over the publication of the report, Ganguly urged media organizations to verify facts before publishing information based on rumours or speculation. He said it was unfortunate that the allegations concerning him were published without proper verification.

“The allegations in the article, in so far as they concern me, are in reckless disregard of the truth,” Ganguly said, adding that appropriate care and caution should have been exercised before publishing such claims.

The former cricket captain also emphasized that he has never been involved in political matters and has not played any role in discussions concerning electoral or parliamentary affairs.

Ganguly concluded his statement by requesting the media not to rely on unverified information and to ensure factual accuracy in their reporting.