Mohammad Azharuddin reinducted as Hyderabad Cricket Association President

Former Hyderabad Cricket Association president Mohammad Azharuddin has been inducted as Hyderabad cricket Association. A conflict of interest allegation has been leveled against him but the member of the Apex council. As claimed by the ombudsman, the Apex Council had no authority to pass the resolution to suspend anyone without taking the final call from the Ombudsman. Therefore, his suspension was revoked and he was ordered to be reinstated with immediate effect.  This order was passed by the ombudsman Justice (retd) Deepak Verma.

HCA ombudsman headed by the justice Deepak Verma passed an interim order disqualifying five members of Hyderabad apex council – vice-president K John Manoj, R Vijayanand, Naresh Sharma, Surender Agarwal, and Anuradha -that has suspended the Mohammad Azharuddin for alleged violation of its constitution. 

Justice(retd) Deepak Verma in his interim order pointed out that members of the apex council did not forward the complaint to the ombudsman and took the call on their own that has no validity. 

Deepak Verma made the following observation in his interim verdict and gave the orders accordingly. 

“[The] Apex Council on its own accord cannot take such a decision. Therefore, I deem it appropriate to set aside the resolution (if any) passed by these five members in suspending the duly elected President, issuing a show-cause notice and direct them to refrain from any subsequent actions against the President of HCA, Mohammed Azharuddin,” Justice (retd) Verma said.

“Therefore, I direct that Mohammad Azharuddin shall continue as president and all complaints against office bearers shall only be decided by the ombudsman.

“From the aforesaid facts and features, it is clearly reflected that instead of encouraging the game of cricket, each one is playing their own politics for the reasons best known to them. Thus, it defeats the very purpose for which HCA has been formed,” Justice (retd) Verma had said.

Regarding the five Apex Council members, Justice (retd) Verma in the order said, “I would like to make it clear that, just because these five members believe on their own accord that I am not ombudsman does not take away my powers which are now been confirmed by the High Court judgment and the minutes of the 85th AGM as well.

“These members cannot evade the due process of law just by stating that they don’t agree to my appointment. It is clear from the above, that these members have malafide intentions and do not want smooth functioning of HCA.”