Cricketer-turned-politician Mohammad Azharuddin was summoned to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in a prominent money laundering case linked to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). However, the Congress leader and former MP Azharuddin did not attend the scheduled meeting and instead requested additional time from the agency. As a result, fresh summons were issued, requiring him to appear on October 8, according to sources.
The ED’s investigation revolves around a staggering Rs 20 crore, earmarked for procuring diesel generators and firefighting systems for the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad. Instead of using the funds for these critical purposes, Azharuddin was accused of diverting them for personal or unauthorised uses.
Azharuddin, the Congress leader, whose tenure as HCA president ran from 2019 to February 2023, also faces criminal charges registered against him in October last year. Accused of misappropriating funds, he is charged with cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
In connection with these cases, the raids conducted in November 2023 at nine locations in Telangana, including the homes of HCA’s top office-bearers. These raids carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), have exposed what appears to be large-scale financial malpractice under Azharuddin’s watch.
Azharuddin’s involvement is further implicated by multiple FIRs filed by Hyderabad’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which earlier detected a pattern of financial misconduct within HCA. With the ACB’s charge sheets already in place, Azharuddin now faces mounting legal scrutiny as the ED steps in to untangle the web of fraud surrounding the alleged ₹20 crore misappropriation. The forensic audit ordered by the HCA, covering the period from 2020 to 2023, revealed shocking discrepancies — funds meant for the association’s development were funneled to private agencies.
This has raised serious questions, particularly given his high-profile position in the Telangana Congress party. The misuse of such large sums has not only tainted the image of HCA but has also raised concerns over how a man with such a questionable track record could hold power in HCA.
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