Hyderabad Cricket Association Secretary arrested in Pune

Hyderabad, July 25 (IANS) The Telangana Police's CID on Friday arrested Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Secretary Devaraj Ramchander in the case of forgery, cheating, and misappropriation of funds.

A CID official said that Devaraj, who was absconding, was arrested from a hotel in Pune and brought to Hyderabad. He was produced before a court for judicial remand.

Devaraj was accused number two in the case registered against HCA office-bearers on June 9. He is the sixth accused to be arrested in the case.

HCA President A. Jagan Mohan Rao, Treasurer C.J. Srinivasa Rao, CEO Sunil Kante, Sri Chakra Cricket Club President G. Kavitha and General Secretary Rajendra Yadav were arrested on July 9.

According to CID, this is a case of forgery of documents for the purpose of cheating and misappropriation of funds, with criminal breach of trust by the accused.

Based on the complaint of Telangana Cricket Association (TCA) General Secretary Dharam Guruva Reddy, the CID registered a criminal case under sections 465, 468, 471, 403, 409, 420 r/w 34 IPC.

According to the CID, Jagan Mohan Rao, in collusion with Rajender Yadav and his wife Kavitha, created forged documents of Sri Chakra Cricket Club, which was called Gowlipura Cricket Club, by forging the signature of C. Krishna Yadav, the President of Gowlipura Cricket Club. These forged documents were allegedly used as genuine, enabling A. Jagan Mohan Rao to dishonestly gain entry into the HCA as President.

"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 restraint IPL SRH officials including claims of intimidation, blackmail over complimentary tickets and access to corporate boxes and threatened with dire consequences," the CID had said in a statement.

There were allegations of ticket irregularities during the IPL 2025 season at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.

The HCA President and other office-bearers had allegedly pressured IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for additional tickets, including tickets for personal sale.

--IANS

ms/vd