Azharuddin appears before ED in money laundering case

Former cricketer and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin on Tuesday (October 8, 2024) appeared for questioning at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office here. This comes after he was summoned in a money laundering case linked to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).

The ED had issued fresh summons to the 61-year-old former Member of Parliament to appear before it on October 8 after he skipped a deposition on October 3. However, Mr. Azharuddin had requested more time, and the agency subsequently issued fresh summons ordering him to appear on October 8.

The investigation focused on suspected financial misconduct within the HCA, for which the ED had conducted searches in November 2023.

The ongoing money laundering probe followed three FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau regarding the alleged misappropriation of HCA funds to the tune of ₹20 crore. The accusations included irregularities in the procurement of diesel generator sets, fire-fighting systems and canopies for the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad.

The ED stated that its previous raids had led to the seizure of digital devices, incriminating documents, and unaccounted cash totaling ₹10.39 lakh.

Mr. Azharuddin, who began his political career by winning the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh in 2009, is a working president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee.