Hyderabad Cricket Association smells 131 cr scam

Hyderabad, July 03: Almost 4 years after a local court ordered ACB to conduct a probe into the alleged multi-crore scam (misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 131 crore) by the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), the investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau seems to come to an end.

There were allegations of large scale misappropriation of funds between 2003-04 and 2011-12, including misuse of grants from the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) and lack of accountability for revenue that was generated through hosting IPL and in-stadia advertisement at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal.

The ACB served a notice on the HCA authorities on February 8, 2014seeking explanation from them on the various irregularities within 15 days. The ACB has listed as many as 199 allegations against them.

But it is almost a year-and-a-half since the case was registered and there is no further breakthrough. The ACB observed that no certificates were produced regarding the rupees amounting to more than 55 crore that was lodged as the fixed deposits in various banks during the year 2003-04 to 2010-11.

ACB authorities have registered a case against the HCA officials who were indulged in scam, under Sections 11, 12, 13(1) (d) (i) (ii) & (iii) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and Sec 409 and 420 of Indian Penal Code PC, R/W 34 of IPC.

The court order clearly mentioned that the HCA authorities had misappropriated funds during the construction of the stadium in violation of the Memorandum of Rules and Regulations 2005 HCA and also not maintained proper books of accounts of almost 8 to 9 crore, there by the officials commit a breach of trust and cheated the HCA.

The Cricket Association of Telangana president Sunil Babu Kolanpaka on Thursday demanded immediate termination of the present body of the HCA and arrest of the association members on the charges of swindling of HCA funds.

“This money belongs to the Telangana State. These officials have committed crimes and must be punished”, said Babu. “The State government should intervene in the matter and bring justice to the people”, he added.