For all the accolades Mohammad Azharuddin brought to the Indian cricket team, the former captain has often been in the news for the wrong reasons. Be it the match-fixing allegations and the subsequent ban, or his marital life or death of his son, Azharuddin has had to deal with more lows than highs even after retiring from cricket.
The latest is the Enforcement Directorate summons in a money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). The former Congress MP has been asked to depose before the ED at its Hyderabad office on October 3 and get his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Azharuddin has, however, sought more time from the ED.
What is the ED probe against Azharuddin all about?
Azharuddin was elected the HCA president in 2019. Financial irregularities were alleged in the HCA during Azharuddin's tenure. Three FIRs and charge-sheets were filed by the Telangana anti-corruption bureau for alleged criminal misappropriation of HCA funds to the tune of Rs 20 crore.
The charge-sheets list allegations of irregularities in the procurement of DG sets, fire fighting systems and canopies for the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad.
According to the charge-sheets, several works were delayed despite deadlines, leading to losses to the HCA because of inflated costs and budget enhancements.
The ED had conducted raids in November last year, and seized digital devices, "incriminating" documents and "unaccounted" cash of Rs 10.39 lakh.
The ED probe found that the HCA office-bearers, including the then secretary, president and vice-presidents, in collusion with private parties, "arbitrarily got tenders and works allotted to preferred vendors or contractors at rates higher than market rates without following proper tender processes and in many cases even before the receipt of quotations”.
The agency added that advance payments were made to several contractors but no work was done by them.
Azharuddin contested the Telangana assembly elections last year but lost to Bharat Rashtra Samithi's Maganti Gopinath from Jubilee Hills by over 16,000 votes.