Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) General Secretary Devaraj Ramchander has been arrested by the Telangana Police’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) in connection with a widening forgery and financial misconduct probe. Ramchander, who had been absconding for over two weeks, was apprehended at a hotel in Pune and brought back to Hyderabad, where he has been remanded to judicial custody.
His arrest marks the sixth detention in the case, which involves serious allegations of forgery, cheating, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds at the HCA, one of India’s oldest and most prominent cricket associations.
Forgery case linked to HCA leadership appointments
The case originated from a complaint filed by Telangana Cricket Association (TCA) General Secretary Dharam Guruva Reddy. The CID has filed charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 465, 468, 471, 403, 409, and 420, among others.
Investigators allege that HCA President A. Jagan Mohan Rao, with the help of Rajender Yadav and his wife Kavitha, fabricated documents related to Sri Chakra Cricket Club—formerly known as Gowlipura Cricket Club. These documents, allegedly containing forged signatures of club president C. Krishna Yadav, were used to justify Rao’s entry into the HCA leadership.
CID alleges intimidation of IPL franchise over ticket access
The investigation has revealed even more troubling claims involving the 2025 IPL season. According to a CID statement:
“Further, Jagan Mohan Rao colluding with accused persons, C.J. Srinivas Rao, Treasurer and Sunil Kante, CEO of the HCA, and others with malafide intention, criminal breach of trust, misappropriated the public funds, wrongfully restrained IPL SRH officials including claims of intimidation, blackmail over complimentary tickets and access to corporate boxes and threatened with dire consequences.”
These alleged actions have raised concerns about the HCA’s integrity in managing IPL matches at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, where ticketing irregularities may have favored insiders at the cost of fans and stakeholders.
Confidential leaks and interference within law enforcement
Prior to his arrest, Ramchander reportedly received leaked updates about the investigation. The CID is now probing Uppal police inspector Election Reddy, who has been removed from duty after allegedly tipping off Ramchander, enabling him to evade capture temporarily.
Meanwhile, a local court has granted bail to three earlier arrestees: HCA Treasurer C.J. Srinivas, Sri Chakra Cricket Club President Kavitha, and General Secretary Rajender Yadav. They were arrested on July 9, alongside President Jagan Mohan Rao and CEO Sunil Kante.
Scandal exposes governance crisis in Hyderabad cricket
The scandal has exposed systemic failures in governance and accountability within the HCA. With six senior officials arrested and allegations involving IPL operations, the case has become a major crisis for Hyderabad cricket.
The CID’s investigation continues to draw attention to the urgent need for transparency and ethical reform in Indian domestic cricket administration. The situation also puts pressure on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to increase oversight of state associations amid growing scrutiny of off-field conduct.
