MS Shanker
In a long overdue move, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has suspended its President Jagan Mohan Rao, Secretary Devraj Ramachandran, and Treasurer Srinivas following their arrest by the Telangana State CID in connection with the now-infamous IPL ticketing scam and other alleged financial irregularities.
The emergency decision, reportedly taken by acting president Daljit Singh and a skeletal Apex Council, is a welcome one—but also deeply suspect for its selective nature.
Yes, the trio deserved to be shown the door. Their arrest was not only embarrassing but indicative of the rot that has long festered within the corridors of the HCA. But the question that now looms large: why stop there?
Why is the Apex Council conveniently silent about other past and present office-bearers who are facing equally serious allegations, many of them detailed in official investigative reports, pending court cases, and departmental probes?
Some of these individuals, including former Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurers, have been accused of far more egregious misconduct—embezzlement, asset misappropriation, fund diversion, and even the suspected disappearance of historic cricketing memorabilia. Yet, they continue to operate in the system, influence elections, selections, club-level politics, and in some cases, still control proxy votes through benami memberships.
It is worth recalling that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), during its probe, initiated years ago, had identified over 30 individuals, including former Test cricketers-turned-administrators, who had allegedly siphoned off funds meant for the promotion of cricket in Telangana. These were not vague insinuations. The list includes names of former HCA Presidents, Secretaries, and members who still wield control in the association.
Among them was a former Treasurer, believed to have been hand-in-glove with the then Secretary in multiple dubious deals, including the bizarre case of the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup Trophy. The historic artifact, originally housed in the State Bank of Hyderabad’s vaults, was later discovered to be a fake, with no gold content left in it. How did such a prized possession vanish without anyone being held accountable?
That same Treasurer reportedly continues to enjoy unchallenged influence within HCA, despite serious accusations. He is said to control multiple clubs—possibly under benami names—and is part of the reason why honest reforms have repeatedly failed in Hyderabad cricket.
So, what explains this cherry-picked suspension policy? Why has the Apex Council taken action only against those already in custody—those whom the system has already turned against?
Is it fear? Is it complicity? Or is it that many of the current Apex Council members themselves risk exposure if a deeper probe is pursued? Insiders whisper about “conflict of interest” concerns—how some sitting members might have themselves benefited from the old guard’s misdeeds and hence are reluctant to pull the thread too far.
Let’s not forget: the ACB report has never been acted upon in full. The CID’s current focus on the IPL ticket scam is merely scratching the surface. Unless the larger ecosystem of financial mismanagement is investigated and cleaned up, this is just a showpiece action—too little, too late.
Interestingly, the Telangana Cricket Association (TCA)—a rival entity seeking recognition from the BCCI—has stepped into the muck, providing a formal statement to CID officials. In it, the TCA alleged a ₹12 crore scam under the guise of promoting cricket in Telangana’s districts. Their cooperation with investigators is commendable, especially when most insiders are too afraid or too entrenched to speak up.
Why should taxpayers and genuine cricket lovers tolerate such brazen abuse of power? Why should aspiring players from Telangana’s districts suffer because the HCA has become a cash cow for a corrupt elite?
If the HCA is serious about reform, it must suspend all individuals whose names appear in investigative reports and pending court cases. Let the legal process determine their guilt or innocence, but keeping them in office is a mockery of governance.
Moreover, it’s time for a forensic audit of HCA’s accounts over the last few decades. Every rupee spent, every grant disbursed, every tournament funded must be brought under scrutiny.
And if the current Apex Council lacks the courage or integrity to do it, the BCCI must intervene. Hyderabad cricket deserves better—its players, its fans, and its legacy demand a purge.
Let not the arrests of three become the smokescreen behind which dozens of others escape justice. A real clean-up starts when everyone tainted is made to step aside, not just those who’ve already been caught.
