Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case in relation to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) scam, following the CID’s arrest of HCA President Jagan Mohan Rao and five other individuals on charges of misusing funds from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The ED’s case is built on the CID FIR and remand report that showed sheer irregularities in HCA workings stadium tenders to the sale of tickets.
During the past ten years, HCA has received over Rs 800 crore from the BCCI for cricket development. Forensic audits and previous findings by the Justice L Nageswara Rao panel in 2022 had established diversion of funds, fictitious tenders, and quid pro quo transactions.
In recent times, ED discovered that Rs 90 lakh worth of bribes were accepted for tenders for cricket balls, gymnasium equipment, and stadium chairs. The funds were tracked to an account owned by the wife of former HCA treasurer Surender Agarwal, allegedly in the name JB Jewelers.
The ED is also probing how tenders and contracts for IPL matches were cornered by close relatives of Jagan Mohan Rao, including food stalls, catering, and ticketing. The agency believes that there was a trend of favours being extended without adhering to the due process.
Those detained by the CID are HCA Treasurer Srinivasa Rao, CEO Sunil Kante, and Srichakra Club officials Rajender Yadav and Kavitha. They have been held for six days.
As both CID and ED investigate the scandal, the focus now lies squarely on how money from the public that was intended for cricket was diverted to personal use.
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