ED summons Former Cricketer Azharuddin in Money Laundering Case

Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to former Indian cricketer and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin in connection with alleged money laundering during his tenure as the president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).

The ED's notice states that approximately Rs20 crore was misappropriated under Azharuddin’s leadership, with suspicions of fund misuse within the HCA during that period. The notice also directed Azharuddin to appear for questioning on Thursday.

This is the first time that Azharuddin has been summoned in this case. The charges stem from allegations that funds allocated for the procurement of diesel generators, firefighting equipment, and canopies for the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Uppal were misused. An initial case was registered against him following these claims, and in October 2023, the Hyderabad Police also filed criminal cases against Azharuddin and several former HCA officials. The charges include criminal breach of trust, fraud, forgery, and conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code.

The HCA had ordered a forensic audit from March 2020 to February 2023, which revealed the diversion of funds and cash transfers to private agencies. Following this, HCA CEO Sunil Kante Bose lodged a formal complaint with the police, leading to further investigations.

However, Azharuddin has dismissed the charges, labeling them as politically motivated. He has claimed that his rivals are conspiring to tarnish his reputation and has vowed to fight the charges legally. It is noteworthy that in November 2023, Azharuddin was granted bail in several of the cases filed against him.