Hyderabad, India – The President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), A. Jagan Mohan Rao, along with four other senior officials, has been arrested by the Crime Investigation Department (CID). The arrests are linked to a significant ticketing scandal that emerged during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, involving allegations of fraudulent activities and ticket irregularities.
Raids and Accusations Unveiled
HCA Treasurer C. Srinivas Rao, CEO Sunil Kante, General Secretary Rajender Yadav, and his wife G. Kavita were among those taken into custody by the Telangana CID for questioning. The arrests follow a complaint filed on June 9 by Dharam Gurava Reddy, General Secretary of the Telangana Cricket Association (TCA). The core of the accusations includes forgery, financial misappropriation, and coercive practices, particularly concerning the distribution of complimentary match tickets. It is also alleged that HCA President Rao submitted a forged document to qualify for the HCA elections.
Legal Action Initiated
Based on the complaint, the CID launched a formal investigation and registered a case under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These include charges related to forgery (Sections 465, 468, 471), dishonest misappropriation of property (Section 403), criminal breach of trust by a public servant (Section 409), and cheating (Section 420), all combined with Section 34 for acts done in furtherance of a common intention.
Conflict Over Complimentary Tickets
A major point of contention centers on a dispute with the IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). According to a tripartite agreement involving SRH, HCA, and the BCCI, the HCA is entitled to 3,900 complimentary tickets, which represents 10% of the stadium’s capacity for IPL matches. However, HCA officials are accused of demanding an additional 10% of tickets, a request that SRH reportedly declined.
Tensions escalated dramatically during SRH’s match against the Lucknow Super Giants on March 27. SRH claimed that President Rao ordered a corporate box locked just hours before the game, demanding 20 extra complimentary tickets. SRH viewed this action as a clear violation of the existing agreement.
Franchise Complaint and Threat of Relocation
In response to what they described as “blackmailing tactics,” SRH lodged official complaints with both the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council. The franchise even went as far as threatening to relocate their home matches to another state if the HCA’s alleged intimidation over the ticket quota continued.
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, HCA Secretary R. Devraj arranged a meeting with SRH representatives. During these discussions, SRH proposed a strict adherence to the existing tripartite agreement, ensuring that the 10% allocation of complimentary tickets across all stadium sections would be maintained as per the original understanding.
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