High Court bench dismisses PIL filed against Hyderabad Cricket Association, fines petitioner

Hyderabad: A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar of the AP High Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association. The Bench also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on the petitioner towards costs.

M. Mahesh Yadav, social activist of Medak district, had moved the plea alleging that the HCA had violated the rules and regulations while deciding the accounts, resulting in huge loss to public money.

He brought to the notice of the court that an inquiry conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau also revealed several irregularities in purchase of various equipment, land and award of contracts. The petitioner said he had represented the authorities seeking action against persons responsible for the irregularities, but no action was taken on his representations till date. He urged the court to set up an independent committee to look into the affairs of the HCA.

The Bench recalled that the High Court had earlier passed an order holding that the office bearers of the HCA do not fall under the purview of public servants, hence the prevention of Corruption Act cannot be invoked against them. The Bench directed the petitioner to pay costs for wasting the Court’s time.