ACB Probes Hyderabad Cricket Association for Alleged Irregularities
There were also complaints about corruption in team selections, non-payment of salaries and fees to staff and selectors for conducting 2024 IPL matches without following the due process of law as the tenders were called for but again ratified by giving the same tenders to their favourite suppliers.
Hyderabad: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has inspected the records of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and its money transactions as part of a preliminary inquiry in connection with the alleged irregularities.
A few days ago, Dharam Guruva Reddy, general secretary of the Telangana Cricket Association (TCA), had lodged a complaint with the ACB, with copies marked to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court, seeking action against those who indulged in irregularities at the HCA.
Following the complaint, the ACB officials conducted an inspection at the HCA office and verified its records and financial transactions. The ACB officials reportedly obtained information about the HCA's irregularities.
In his complaint, Guruva Reddy alleged that fraudulent operations, cheating, malpractices in selection of cricket teams, sale of complimentary passes for higher and blocked prices and corruption in Ranji Trophy and state level team selections have taken place in HCA.
"The tenure of earlier elected apex council of the Hyderabad Cricket Association has seen many complaints. Instead of sending 15 players in the state team, the HCA sent more than 60 players in one season to play inter-state matches of the BCCI tournaments,” Guruva Reddy said in the complaint.
It is well established by the law that office-bearers of the HCA come under the ambit of public servants and attract the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, the complainant said.
There were also complaints about corruption in team selections, non-payment of salaries and fees to staff and selectors for conducting 2024 IPL matches without following the due process of law as the tenders were called for but again ratified by giving the same tenders to their favourite suppliers.
Through the CEO of HCA, the complementary tickets, which were not for sale, were sold for Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000, and Rs 5,000 per ticket in the black market at a hotel in Secunderabad. The accounts were also not passed in a proper manner in the general body.
The tender procedures were bulldozed and the work allotment was given as per their own discretion. Nevertheless, the joint secretary of the apex council has written an open letter addressed to the current president and secretary on irregularities, accusing the apex council members of colluding with each other and siphoning off of HCA funds.