The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) allegedly suffered financial losses of ₹92.08 crore (approx. USD 10 million) amid suspected irregularities in its finances and administration, according to a preliminary chargesheet filed by the Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID).
According to a report by Deccan Chronicle, the chargesheet draws on a forensic audit and statements from 63 witnesses, raising questions over the handling of funds, procurement decisions and financial controls during the tenure of former HCA President Arshanapally Jagan Mohan Rao.
The investigation examined decisions taken between October 2023 and June 2025, with former HCA Secretary Devaraj Ramchander, former Treasurer C. Jagannath Srinivasa Rao and Chief Executive Officer Sunil Kante also coming under scrutiny.
BCCI funding and expenditure under investigation
The association received ₹257.12 crore (approx. USD 27 million) in total revenue during the period under review, including ₹211.98 crore (approx. USD 22 million) from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Despite those inflows, investigators identified alleged unauthorised expenditure, questionable procurement practices and financial decisions that may have violated applicable procedures.
Among the transactions questioned was ₹39.11 crore (approx. USD 4 million) in expenditure allegedly authorised despite a 2025 High Court restriction on financial decisions beyond employee salaries.
The investigation also raised concerns over withdrawals totalling ₹18.5 crore (approx. USD 2 million) during the India-England Test match in January 2024.
Contracts worth ₹8.86 crore (approx. USD 933K) were allegedly awarded without the required tender process, while investigators examined discrepancies in catering, transport and equipment procurement.
Ticket revenue and HCA governance questioned
Ticketing arrangements were another focus of the investigation, with a reported discrepancy involving 49,628 tickets and approximately ₹14.01 crore (approx. USD 1.5 million) in revenue that was not accounted for in HCA records.
The inquiry also examined allegations that former office-bearers pressured Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad for additional tickets and access to corporate hospitality facilities.
Separate allegations concerned the authenticity of documents associated with Rao’s eligibility for the HCA presidency, including disputed records relating to affiliated cricket clubs.
The preliminary chargesheet has placed these transactions and administrative decisions under scrutiny, but the allegations have not been established as criminal wrongdoing by a court.
Telangana Cricket Association calls for wider probe
The Telangana Cricket Association (TCA) has argued that the CID’s chargesheet should not conclude the investigation into HCA’s affairs.
According to Telangana Today, the TCA has urged investigators and State authorities to examine four additional complaints involving alleged financial irregularities, disputed society registrations and administrative violations.
Telangana Cricket Association General Secretary D. Guruva Reddy said, as quoted by Telangana Today: “It is a step forward, but it cannot be the end of the investigation into the wider allegations surrounding HCA. If documentary evidence has been submitted in four other complaints, the same standards of urgency, impartiality and accountability must apply to them as well.”
Reddy also highlighted concerns over procurement and ticketing practices, adding: “Contracts reportedly worth Rs 8.86 crore are alleged to have been awarded without the prescribed public tender process. Questions have also been raised over the pricing of player transport, catering and equipment contracts. There is an alleged discrepancy involving approximately 49,628 tickets, valued at around Rs 14.01 crore, across international fixtures.”
Beyond the financial allegations, the TCA has raised concerns about the handling of young players’ personal information through OTP/Aadhaar verification procedures and complaints involving demands for money in connection with team selections.
Reddy further reiterated the association’s demand for recognition under the BCCI’s applicable Constitution and rules, arguing that changes to the State’s cricket administration could improve access to organised cricket and grassroots development.
The CID’s preliminary chargesheet represents a further stage in the investigation into HCA’s finances and governance. The matters raised remain subject to further investigation and judicial proceedings.
