The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned former cricketer and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin on Thursday in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation involving the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). Azharuddin, who once held the position of HCA president, faces accusations of fund misappropriation during his tenure.This marks the first official summons issued to Azharuddin in the case, as the probe agency demands his appearance today. The case revolves around the alleged misappropriation of ₹20 crore, which had been allocated for various upgrades at Hyderabads Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium. The funds were intended for the procurement of diesel generators, firefighting systems, and canopies, which reportedly never materialized.The money laundering investigation stems from four criminal cases registered by Hyderabad Police in October 2023. Azharuddin, along with other former HCA officials, faces charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, forgery, and conspiracy, as outlined under several sections of the Indian Penal Code.A forensic audit, initiated by HCA, revealed fund mismanagement between March 2020 and February 2023, with a significant portion of the money allegedly being diverted to private agencies. Following this audit, HCAs CEO, Suneel Kante Bose, lodged an official complaint, leading to the current legal proceedings.Azharuddin has vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that the charges are false and part of a political vendetta.In November 2023, Azharuddin was granted anticipatory bail by a Hyderabad court in three of the four criminal cases filed against him.
