Hyderabad (Telangana): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday summoned former cricketer and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin in a money laundering case linked to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).
He is accused of misappropriating funds during his tenure as president of the HCA.
The fresh summons requires Azharuddin to appear in person before the probe agency today.
Know About Case
The case involves the alleged embezzlement of Rs 20 crore intended for the purchase of diesel generators, firefighting equipment, and canopies for the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad's Uppal.
In October 2023, the Hyderabad Police filed four criminal cases against Azharuddin and other former HCA officials accusing them of criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery, and conspiracy. The ED also registered a case to investigate the money laundering angle in the matter.
According to a forensic audit carried out at HCA's request, there was purported mismanagement of funds and their transfer to private organisations between March 2020 and February 2023. CEO of HCA, Suneel Kante Bose, then filed a complaint which initiated the probe.
In response, Azharuddin denied the allegations, terming them “politically motivated” to tarnish his image. Subsequently, he was granted anticipatory bail in three of the four cases in November 2023 by a Hyderabad court.
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