ED Summons Ex-Cricketer Azharuddin In Hyderabad Cricket Body Graft Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned former cricketer and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin on Thursday in connection with a money laundering case tied to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).

Azharuddin, who previously served as HCA president, faces allegations of fund misappropriation during his tenure. This is the first summons issued to the Congress leader, requiring his appearance before the agency.

The case revolves around the alleged misappropriation of Rs 20 crore, which was meant for purchasing diesel generators, firefighting systems, and canopies for the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad's Uppal area.

The money laundering investigation follows four criminal cases filed by Hyderabad Police in October 2023. Azharuddin and other former HCA officials have been charged with criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery, and conspiracy under sections of the Indian Penal Code.

A forensic audit, requested by the HCA, revealed fund mismanagement and diversion to private agencies between March 2020 and February 2023, reported India Today. As a result, HCA CEO Suneel Kante Bose filed a complaint.

Azharuddin has denied the accusations, calling them "false" and politically motivated. He claimed, "This is just a stunt pulled by my rivals to ruin my reputation."

In November 2023, a Hyderabad court granted Azharuddin anticipatory bail in three of the four cases. Later that month, the ED conducted searches at nine locations across Telangana, including the homes of former HCA officials Gaddam Vinod, Shivlal Yadav, and Arshad Ayub. The raids uncovered digital devices, incriminating documents, and Rs 10.39 lakh in unaccounted cash.