In the midst of the ongoing IPL season, the Telangana High Court has directed the crime branch of the state CID to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe allegations of mismanagement and financial irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).
Court Order and SIT Formation
Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka, while disposing of a petition filed by Ch Sanjeev Reddy, president of Safilguda Cricket Club, instructed the director general of police to immediately form the SIT under an additional commissioner-rank IPS officer. The SIT has been asked to register a case and investigate the administrative, managerial, and financial affairs of HCA.
Financial Irregularities Alleged
Among the several financial irregularities alleged by the petitioners, a sample audit had revealed discrepancies of ₹2.68 crore between 2015 and 2017, prompting calls for a deeper probe by top agencies such as the CBI to expose the alleged malfeasance and fix accountability. A separate report by a committee led by Justice L Nageswara Rao (retired) noted that HCA's accounts have remained unfinalised since 2017. This lapse led the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to withhold crucial funds, further paralysing the association's functioning.
Ongoing Investigations
Friday's order also referred to ongoing investigations—an ACB probe against HCA, arrest of its former president A Jagan Mohan Rao and others in a forgery case, and an Enforcement Directorate inquiry into alleged money laundering, and multiple cases pending against HCA across courts, including the Supreme Court. The high court said the SIT may examine material already on record, including reports submitted by retired judges of the Supreme Court and high court who earlier oversaw HCA's functioning, and collect further evidence as required.
Supervision and Oversight
To ensure transparency during the probe, the judge asked Justice Naveen Rao, former acting Chief Justice of Telangana High Court, to continue supervising HCA as a one-man committee until the criminal investigation concludes. Justice Rao will receive an honorarium of ₹5 lakh. Justice Suresh Kumar Kait (retired) will continue as ombudsman and Justice KC Bhanu (retired) as ethics officer until their terms expire.
Contempt Notices Issued
Taking serious note of violations of earlier high court orders, contempt notices were issued to HCA joint secretary Thamidisetty Basava Raju and treasurer Konda Anil Kumar, with Justice Bheemapaka terming their actions 'overreaching the orders of the court.' In his 45-page order, Justice Bheemapaka painted a grim picture of the HCA's state, noting that internal conflicts and systemic failures had reached a breaking point. He said that the 'pathetic state' of affairs had tarnished the reputation of the HCA, which directly affected the prospects of cricketers dependent on a functional system.
Systemic Failures and Forensic Review
The judge expressed frustration at the chaos, describing the leadership's conduct as contrary to the spirit of the sport and the legal framework governing such institutions. He stressed that lack of accountability and disregard for norms had left cricket in paralysis, necessitating judicial oversight and a specialised probe. The Justice Nageswara Rao committee had stressed that regular auditing was no longer sufficient, citing several 'red-flagged' transactions that suggested deep-seated mismanagement, and recommended forensic examination as the only way to address the breakdown of internal controls and restore credibility. Ernst & Young, which conducted the forensic review, reported substantial financial irregularities.
Specific Irregularities
A CID probe also found that Rs 1.04 crore was reportedly spent on procurement of 1,340 cricket balls during the 2024-25 domestic season, but no tender process or stock records were maintained. Among the financial irregularities under scrutiny was the alleged diversion of Rs 21.7 lakh under the guise of plumbing works at the Uppal cricket stadium.
