In June 2026, All India Tennis Association (AITA) President Chintan Parikh told Delhi High Court-appointed Administrator Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal that financial records of the AITA Trust “will be of no assistance” to her judicial mandate, prompting the Administrator to report to the High Court on 14 September 2026 that he “clearly refused to provide the documents sought.” Just 16 days after that report was filed, on 30 September 2026, Parikh told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that the AITA Trust “is not independent” and “has to come into AITA umbrella.”
On 2 May 2026 (Annexure VII), Chintan Parikh emailed the AITA Trust asking to induct 3 newly elected AITA office bearers as trustees immediately. On 27 June 2026 (Annexure XIII), he told the Administrator the Trust had “no role or relevance” and “no financial dealings” with AITA—before telling PTI on 30 September 2026 that the Trust “is not independent” and belongs under the AITA umbrella.
In Report V (14 September 2026), Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal informed the Delhi High Court that primary records prima facie indicate diversion of public and State funding and commercial sub-leasing at the R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium, praying for an independent forensic audit by CAG, SFIO, or NFRA panel auditors.
Administrator asks for AITA Trust financials; AITA declines
Appointed by the Delhi High Court on 27 April 2026 in W.P. (C) No. 13458 of 2024 (Somdev Kishore Devvarman & Ors. vs. AITA) and affirmed by the Division Bench on 18 June 2026 in LPA No. 422/2026, former Chief Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal was tasked with reforming AITA’s constitution in line with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, preparing the electoral roll, and overseeing the federation’s day-to-day administration and financial affairs.
As documented in Report V filed before the Delhi High Court on 14 September 2026, the Administrator discovered a 20 May 2025 legal notice from the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) to the AITA Trust (Annexure I) and the AITA Trust’s 4 June 2025 reply (Annexure II) exposing deep financial and property disputes over the DLTA Complex and R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium at 1, Africa Avenue, New Delhi. Through formal requisitions dated 22 May 2026, 3 June 2026, and 24 June 2026, Justice Mittal asked the overlapping office bearers of AITA and the AITA Trust to produce 10 categories of primary records, including the Trust Deed of 5 September 2000, all financial statements since inception, property titles in New Delhi, Gurugram, and Mumbai, and commercial sub-leases executed at the stadium.
Instead of producing the books, AITA President Chintan Parikh sent an email on 27 June 2026 (Annexure XIII) declining to provide the AITA Trust records—even though on 2 May 2026 (Annexure VII), just 2 days after assuming charge on 30 April 2026, Parikh had written to the AITA Trust requesting that 3 newly elected AITA office bearers (himself as President, Sunder Iyer as Hon. Secretary General, and Dinesh Arora as Treasurer) be added immediately as trustees of the AITA Trust.
“It is also important for you to note that AITA Trust has no role or relevance in AITA’s administration or day to day functioning as a National Sports Federation. Thus, we feel that the information pertaining to the Trust may not be of any relevance for amending of the Constitution of AITA. There are no financial dealings either between the AITA Trust and AITA. Thus, we feel that the information pertaining the AITA Trust, will be of no assistance to you to fulfil the mandate vested in you by the Hon’ble High Court.”
“The President, AITA, therefore, clearly refused to provide the documents sought by the undersigned reasoning that, in their opinion, the same were not needed to fulfil the purpose for which the undersigned was appointed. The effort to conceal the true position with regard to the assets and finances of AITA and the AITA Trust being revealed is writ large from the above correspondence.”
What the Administrator told the Delhi High Court about public funding
In Report V, Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal underscored that AITA receives substantial financial grants from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Government of India, exercises monopoly status over national tennis governance, and is covered within the definition of a “State Instrumentality” under Article 12 of the Constitution of India. Despite that public character, Report V notes that 4 intertwined entities—the AITA Society, the AITA Trust, DLTA, and a private limited company incorporated on 5 August 2008 under the identical name “All India Tennis Association” (CIN: U92412DL2008NPL181714)—operate from the same registered address at R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium, 1, Africa Avenue, New Delhi-110029 with overlapping office bearers.
Examining the inter-entity legal notices (Annexures I and II) alongside public Delhi Online Registration Information System (DORIS) lease deeds, the Administrator reported that public land leased by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) for the promotion of tennis—and renovated with a ₹65 crore grant from MYAS ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games—has been extensively sub-leased as commercial office space to private corporations, banks, dental clinics, and consulting firms, while ₹39,09,03,858 (₹39.09 crore) in stadium rental collections was remitted to the AITA Trust between 2006–07 and 2022–23.
“Interactions with sports persons and the contents of Annexure I and II prima facie indicate that funds intended for the game of Tennis, properties intended for advancement and development of the game and players have either been diverted to the AITA Trust or are being misused and exploited for commercial purposes by the office bearers of AITA, DLTA and AITA Trust, conveniently utilizing the shield of [1] or the other of these entities… It also needs no elaboration that sunlight is the best disinfectant and there is no reason at all to keep the documents/information sought by the Undersigned behind a veil where public trust, public money and a national sport is involved.”
If the Trust is AITA’s, why can’t the Administrator see its books?
In Paragraph 46 of Report V, Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal warned the Delhi High Court that if the stance adopted by AITA and the AITA Trust office bearers were accepted, any entity created by a National Sports Federation to hold its properties or revenues would stand insulated from judicial scrutiny merely by asserting a separate legal shield. Parikh’s subsequent statement to PTI on 30 September 2026—acknowledging that the AITA Trust “is not independent” and “has to come into AITA umbrella”—underscores the exact question raised by the Administrator’s filing.
Implead AITA Trust and DLTA as parties and direct immediate disclosure of all financial accounts, trust deeds, property titles, and inter-entity transfers sought since 22 May 2026.
Appoint an Independent Forensic Auditor from CAG, SFIO, or NFRA panels—supervised by a retired Senior CAG Official—to audit AITA, AITA Trust, DLTA, and the AITA Company.
Direct MYAS and the Land and Development Office (L&DO) to file comprehensive reports on all Government grants, stadium lease terms, and commercial sub-leasing compliance.
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