The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former cricketer and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). Azharuddin.
Azharuddin took charge as the HCA President in 2019 but his term came to a premature end with Supreme Court appointing a Committee of Administrators (CoA) for HCA. This marks the first summons issued to the Congress leader, requiring him to appear before the agency.
According to India Today report, the case involves allegations of misappropriation of ₹20 crore, which was intended for the procurement of diesel generators, firefighting systems, and canopies for the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad.
In November 2023, the ED had conducted searches under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 at nine locations in Telangana. The searches were conducted at the residences of Gaddam Vinod, Shivlal Yadav and Arshad Ayub, who served as president, vice-president, secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, respectively in the past. Searches were also conducted on the office premises of SS Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and the residential premises of its MD, Satyanarayana.
According to Hindustan Times report despite deadlines, several works were delayed inordinately leading to escalated costs and budget enhancements and corresponding losses to the Hyderabad Cricket Association.
It was also revealed that the office bearers of the HCA, including its then secretary, president and vice-president and others, in collusion with private parties, arbitrarily got various tenders and works allotted to preferred vendors/contractors at higher than market rates without following proper tender processes and in many cases even before the receipt of quotations. Advance payments were made to many contractors but no work was done by them.
