For once, justice has chosen not to look away. The Telangana High Court’s refusal to quash criminal proceedings against a former Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president may just be the first real step toward cleansing one of India’s most decayed sporting institutions. For decades, Hyderabad’s cricket administration has been a cesspool of corruption, cronyism, and deceit — where money triumphed over merit and power brokers held the game hostage. Now, at long last, there’s a glimmer of accountability.
A division bench headed by the Chief Justice on Monday dismissed petitions by former HCA chief seeking to escape prosecution in cases of financial irregularities. The court didn’t mince words. It asked the most basic, piercing question: Did any of you ever spend a rupee from your personal pocket to run the association? When the answer is an unequivocal “No,” the bench shot back — then how can you justify looting public money?
That blunt and sharp observation sums up everything wrong with the HCA — an organization run like a private fiefdom, feeding off public-generated funds while claiming immunity from scrutiny. Every rupee in cricket — be it from BCCI grants, sponsorships, telecast rights, or ticket sales — comes from the public. It’s the fans’ money, not the personal property of self-serving officials. The High Court has done what the BCCI, successive governments, and multiple inquiries failed to do: remind those in power that accountability is not optional.
The court’s stance has electrified Hyderabad’s long-suffering cricket community — players, parents, and genuine administrators who have watched helplessly as the association slid deeper into chaos. The High Court’s observation has rekindled hope that justice may finally be served, and that the guilty will no longer hide behind legal technicalities or political connections.
But the road to reform must not end here. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) must act without fear or favour. It should promptly file prosecution papers against all those named in the investigation — reportedly 26 former officials — accused of embezzling crores meant for cricket development. These were BCCI funds intended to promote the sport across Telangana, especially in rural and district areas. Even the forensic audit and none other than the Supreme Court-appointed Ombudsman, Justice L. Nageswara Rao, have named and shamed several of them in their voluminous reports. Yet, the accused allegedly siphoned off the money, treating HCA accounts like their personal ATMs.
And this is just the surface. The rot runs far deeper. From the construction of the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium — where allegations of inflated costs and misused contracts abound — to the manipulation of HCA elections through illegally controlled affiliate clubs, Hyderabad cricket has been systematically looted. Club secretaries have been accused of pocketing development funds, leasing out club rights, and even selling votes during elections. The so-called “club mafia” has made contesting an HCA election an expensive gamble — affordable only to those backed by real estate money, political muscle, or both.
The BCCI, meanwhile, has watched silently from the sidelines. Despite being fully aware of the HCA’s rot — age-fraud scandals, “pay-to-play” selection rackets, and multiple audit red flags, the national board has rarely intervened decisively. Its silence has emboldened the corrupt and disillusioned the honest.
The High Court’s latest order must, therefore, be more than a moment of moral satisfaction. It must become a turning point. The judiciary should direct that all pending HCA corruption cases be put on a fast track. Those who misused their positions — including former players-turned-officials who sat in power for 8 to 10 years — must face prosecution. A few symbolic suspensions or committee reshuffles won’t do; the guilty must face the law in full.
Only then can the aam aadmi regain faith in the system — and Hyderabad cricket regain its lost dignity. This city once produced legends — Abbas Ali Baig, Azharuddin, VVS Laxman, Ambati Rayudu — men who carried Hyderabad’s cricketing pride far beyond its borders. Today, that pride lies buried under layers of scandal.
The High Court’s refusal to quash the case has reignited a faint but vital hope: that the law can still stand taller than influence. The judiciary has taken the first step. The ball is now in the ACB’s court, and in the BCCI’s conscience. If they, too, act with integrity, Hyderabad’s cricketing redemption may finally begin.
