Azharuddin demands HCA disbandment after CID arrests president, officials in IPL ticket scam
Hyderabad: Former India cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin has called for the immediate disbandment of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) administration and a full investigation into its functioning, following the arrest of HCA President A. Jagan Mohan Rao and several other senior officials in connection with an IPL ticketing scam.
In a post on his official handle on X (formerly Twitter), Mohammed Azharuddin said, “I am deeply disturbed by the ongoing IPL ticket scam and rampant corruption within the Hyderabad Cricket Association. The current HCA body has failed its duty and must be held accountable. I urge immediate action, a thorough investigation, and the disbandment of the current HCA administration. It’s time to clean up the system and restore integrity to Hyderabad cricket.”
The Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested Jagan Mohan Rao on Wednesday, July 9, following the findings of a vigilance inquiry that uncovered serious irregularities in the distribution of IPL match tickets and internal functioning of the association.
Along with the HCA President, four other officials were also taken into custody. They include HCA Treasurer C. Srinivasa Rao, CEO Sunil Kante, General Secretary Rajender Yadav, and his wife G. Kavita.
The CID has registered a case under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 468 (forgery), 471 (using forged documents), and 420 (cheating).
According to the vigilance report, HCA officials exerted undue pressure on IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to provide complimentary tickets beyond the agreed limit of 10 percent of stadium capacity. Some of these tickets were allegedly diverted for personal gain, including black marketing and unauthorized distribution.
In one incident during the IPL season, HCA officials allegedly locked a corporate box at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium and refused to open it until SRH provided additional tickets. SRH later lodged a formal complaint, describing the conduct as unprofessional and a violation of the franchise’s rights as a stadium tenant.
Tensions between the HCA and SRH have been ongoing. During the previous IPL season, SRH had accused the HCA leadership of coercive behavior and warned of relocating home matches if the pressure for extra passes continued.
Following these allegations, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy ordered a vigilance inquiry in April. Around the same time, HCA and SRH officials met at the stadium to reaffirm the tripartite agreement between HCA, SRH, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which entitles the association to around 3,900 complimentary passes, or 10 percent of total stadium seating.
Despite efforts to resolve the conflict, tensions resurfaced when HCA reduced the capacity of the F12A corporate box from 50 to 30 seats and demanded an additional 20 passes in another section. When SRH refused, HCA officials allegedly escalated the issue by locking another corporate box during a match.
The CID investigation, launched after the vigilance commission’s report, led to the arrests of Jagan Mohan Rao and other office bearers. The case continues to draw scrutiny from both the cricketing community and state authorities.
