Hyderabad: The President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), Jagan Mohan Rao, was arrested by the Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday, July 9, in connection with a major Indian Premier League (IPL) ticketing scam. The scandal has exposed troubling ties between the HCA administration and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), one of the IPL franchises based out of the city.
CID Cracks Down After Months-Long Probe
Rao’s arrest follows a state vigilance investigation that found credible evidence of misconduct, including coercion, blackmail, financial fraud, and the unauthorized sale of complimentary tickets. Alongside Rao, other HCA officials its secretary, treasurer, and CEO—have also been named in the First Information Report (FIR).
Sunrisers Hyderabad Reveal Harassment
The controversy came to light during IPL 2025, when HCA allegedly demanded over 2,500 additional tickets beyond its agreed 10% quota of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium’s capacity. The franchise accused Rao of using intimidation tactics, including locking up the F3 corporate box hours before the March 27 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants to pressure officials for more tickets.
Sunrisers Hyderabad later issued a formal complaint and warned that they might consider moving their home games out of Hyderabad if the harassment continued.
Public and Political Pressure Mounts
Protests erupted outside the stadium shortly after news of the scam broke, with demonstrators burning effigies and calling for accountability within the cricket association. Former India captain and ex-HCA president Mohammed Azharuddin demanded the immediate dismissal of the current HCA leadership and a government-monitored investigation into the body’s functioning.
What Lies Ahead for HCA and SRH
With the cricketing body under intense scrutiny, the future of Hyderabad as a stable IPL venue is uncertain. Authorities are expected to make further arrests and initiate reforms within HCA. The arrest of Rao could mark a turning point in restoring transparency and credibility to cricket administration in Telangana.
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