ED Grills Former Cricketer Azharuddin in HCA Case

Hyderabad: Former Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and present Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president Mohammed Azharuddin on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).

Azharuddin appeared before the ED in response to summons issued by the ED a few days ago over a money laundering case allegedly linked to alleged financial irregularities in HCA.

Though the ED had summoned Azharuddin on October 3 to record his statement, Azharuddin sought more time to appear. The ED agreed to his request and following which, he appeared before the country’s law enforcement and financial intelligence agency on Tuesday.

According to sources, Azharuddin's role during his tenure as the HCA president is under the scanner of the agency.

During his interaction with media persons outside the ED office at Basheerbagh, Azharuddin said the allegations against him were baseless and false.

The money laundering case relates to three FIRs and charge sheets filed by the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in connection with alleged misappropriation of funds of the HCA to the tune of Rs 20 crore.

One of these FIRs registered on the complaint of the HCA chief executive officer Suneel Kante Bose based on an interim report of the forensic audit mentioned that certain transactions done on behalf of the HCA with third-party vendors were “not genuine” and that the transactions were carried out in a manner “detrimental” to the interest of the association.

It also stated that “allegations of serious irregularities in the procurement of DG sets, firefighting systems and canopies for the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium constructed in Uppal, Hyderabad,” the ED had earlier in a statement.

According to the FIR, several works were delayed inordinately, leading to escalated costs and budget enhancements and corresponding losses to the HCA.

According to a forensic audit report, Body Drench India supplied at over `1.74 crore, gym equipment which was available from a reputed firm in Hyderabad for Rs 17.71 lakh. It amounted to huge over invoicing and caused immense loss to HCA.

The audit report also stated that HCA had paid `2,586 per chair that costs `150 each in the market. In all, the HCA purchased 1,500 bucket chairs at this high cost and paid the money in full. But the vendor, Excellent Enterprises, delayed delivery of the chairs for one year and 11 months, causing loss to HCA.

One of the observations made in the forensic report was that “Mohammad Azharuddin, the then president of the association in the 9th Apex Council meeting held on March 3, 2021 had sought to take up discussions regarding fire fighting equipment. However, subsequently without assigning any reasons, the tender was not allotted to any of the bidders. Thereafter, the HCA had floated a second tender for the same work.”

These allegations under the scrutiny of the Telangana government’s Anti-Corruption Bureau and also the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).