How a Former Cricketer Hijacked a Supreme Court-Mandated Reform Panel
MS Shanker
In a damning new chapter in the saga of Hyderabad cricket’s administrative collapse, fresh revelations by former Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice N.A. Kakru, expose the internal sabotage of the very Supervisory Committee that was tasked with cleansing the rot in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).
In his explosive 23-page letter, Justice Kakru has alleged that fellow committee member and former cricketer Vanka Pratap not only bypassed established procedures but unilaterally took over decision-making powers, blatantly violating both the Supreme Court’s directives and the Committee’s resolutions.
How the Hijack Happened
Justice Kakru points out that a resolution dated 26 September 2022 vested him—unanimously—with the authority to regulate all meetings of the Supervisory Committee as its Chairman. Despite this, Vanka Pratap issued letters and emails in the name of the Committee, usurping powers he was never given. Kakru describes this as “reckless” and a direct contravention of the Supreme Court’s order dated 22 August 2022.
“He concocted a story of my unavailability for physical meetings to justify his illegal takeover,” writes Justice Kakru. “It is high time Vanka Pratap undergoes a process of conscious and conscientious self-retrospection.”
But does a man with such alleged ulterior motives have the moral fibre for self-reflection? That’s debatable. Critics accuse Vanka Pratap of manipulating even powerful individuals to serve his agenda—among them a former DGP, who was allegedly misled into reposing complete trust in him. Fortunately, not all were fooled. A fellow cricketer and Test player on the panel is believed to have regularly voiced dissent.
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A Technology-Averse Ploy?
Justice Kakru had proposed the use of video conferencing to conduct meetings—an idea aligned with modern practices even at the Supreme Court. He rightly argued it would save time, reduce costs, and enable greater participation. But Vanka Pratap, it seems, was adamant that Justice Kakru be physically present, despite the latter residing in Delhi. Why the insistence on in-person meetings, if not to engineer his absence and run the show unchallenged?
In a particularly revealing section of his letter, Justice Kakru references an email from 10 December 2022, in which Vanka Pratap arrogated to himself the power to regulate Committee meetings. This, despite clear guidelines that only the Chairman—the Hon’ble Justice Kakru—or the Vice Chairman, then-DGP Anjani Kumar, could convene meetings.
Clear Resolutions, Blatant Violations
The original resolution reads unequivocally:
“At the very outset, the three members of the Committee, other than Justice N.A. Kakru proposed that he preside over the meetings as Chairman… unanimously adopted.” It further declared Anjani Kumar, IPS, as Vice Chairman.
More importantly, the resolution specified the Chairman’s exclusive powers: to select the venue, fix dates and timings, circulate agendas, allow virtual participation, record and authenticate minutes, and retain custody of all records.
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That Vanka Pratap managed to override these powers—while pitting the Chairman and Vice Chairman against each other—is nothing short of institutional betrayal. One must ask: Who gave this former cricketer the license to operate above the law and against the will of the Supreme Court?
High Court Appointment Sparks Fresh Row
The controversy doesn’t end there. Vanka Pratap’s recent appointment to assist the Telangana High Court-appointed Ombudsman has triggered another storm. Given his track record of manipulation, club secretaries and observers familiar with his modus operandi have begun questioning the legitimacy of his appointment. Notably, this issue was deliberately brushed under the carpet during the recent HCA Annual General Meeting—no surprise, given the fear that open debate might expose more skeletons.
Justice Kakru’s letter isn’t just a cry of frustration—it’s a well-documented indictment of how an ex-cricketer’s lust for control derailed a Supreme Court-mandated reform process.
A Larger Crisis of Ethics and Governance
If these serious allegations go unchecked, the message is clear: rogue elements in cricket administration can continue operating with impunity, sidestepping courts, fooling institutions, and manipulating their way to power through club-level bribery—be it “development funds” or health scheme carrots.
The question now is whether those in power—state officials, law enforcement, and cricket’s national governing bodies—will act. As a journalist, I’ve placed every word of this truth in the public domain, hoping—like countless lovers of the game—that government agencies already probing related issues will take note. If action comes, it must be swift and decisive.
Because ultimately, the people who suffer most are Hyderabad’s budding cricketers and honest club secretaries—those who believe in merit over money, and cricket over corruption. Their dreams deserve protection from men who have turned this once-glorious sport into a cesspool of personal ambition.
Let the truth echo in every stadium: Hyderabad cricket won’t be saved by silence.
