Mohammad Azharuddin appears before ED in HCA money laundering case

Former Indian cricket team captain and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate ED in a money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association reported news agency PTIThe federal agency will question him and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA the sources told PTIAzharuddin was summoned on Thursday by the Enforcement Directorate ED in an alleged Hyderabad Cricket Association money laundering case reported ANIAzharuddin was summoned by ED in connection with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA 2002 case against him for alleged misappropriation of funds during his tenure as Hyderabad Cricket Associations presidentThe 61yearold former Member of Parliament was asked to first depose before the agency at its office here on Fateh Maidan Road on October 3 but he sought a fresh date and was hence summoned on October 8 in connection with the Hyderabad Cricket Association money laundering caseThe probe is related to alleged financial irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association HCA in which the ED had conducted searches in November last yearAzharuddins role during his tenure as the HCA president is under the scanner of the agency the sources had saidThere was no immediate response from the former Indian skipper who unsuccessfully contested the assembly polls held last yearFollowing the registration of the case by the Telangana police last year he had said that the allegations levelled against him were false and motivated and it was just a stunt pulled by his rivals to ruin his reputationLast year in November ED conducted searches under the provisions of the PMLA at nine locations in Telangana reported ANIThe searches were conducted at the residences of Gaddam Vinod Shivlal Yadav and Arshad Ayub who served as President Vice President and Secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association at various points in timeSearches were also conducted at an office premise the residential premises of its MD Search operations resulted in the recovery and seizure of digital devices incriminating documents and unaccounted cash of Rs 1039 lakh reported ANIA search of one of the premises of Gaddam Vinod revealed that it was allegedly being used as an office for several companies owned and controlled by his brother Gaddam Vivekanand a former Member of Parliament MP reported ANIED initiated an investigation based on 3 FIRs registered by the AntiCorruption Bureau ACB Hyderabad and the corresponding chargesheets filed by the ACB relating to criminal misappropriation of the funds of the Hyderabad Cricket Association to the tune of Rs 20 croreThe chargesheets contain allegations of serious irregularities in the procurement of DG sets firefighting systems and canopies for Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium constructed in Uppal Hyderabad reported ANIAs per the chargesheets despite deadlines several works were delayed inordinately leading to escalated costs and budget enhancements and corresponding losses to the Hyderabad Cricket Association reported ANIIt was also revealed that the office bearers of the Hyderabad Cricket Association including its then Secretary President VicePresident and others allegedly in collusion with private parties arbitrarily got various tenders and works allotted to alleged preferred vendorscontractors at higher than market rates without following proper tender processes and in many cases even before the receipt of quotations Advance payments were made to many contractors but no work was done by themWith inputs from PTI and ANI