Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) President Jagan Mohan Rao was arrested by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Wednesday for a big IPL 2025 ticket scam at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. The arrest came after a vigilance inquiry initiated by the Telangana government found serious irregularities in ticket distribution and governance norms.
Government officials accuse Rao and other members of HCA of unduly pressurizing IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to get additional free tickets. They were reportedly used for personal and black-marketing purposes.
SRH Accuses HCA President of Blackmail
In a lengthy complaint, SRH accused Rao of “intimidation, coercion, and blackmail,” claiming that he padlocked a corporate box hours before the game to force more complimentary passes. The action, SRH claimed, was in breach of a tripartite agreement between SRH, HCA, and the BCCI, according to which 10% of the match tickets are given as complimentary passes to HCA.
The CID filed an FIR against Rao and other officials after the investigation’s conclusion found that there was misuse of power and coercive tactics employed against the franchise.
Threat of Venue Relocation Over Ticket Dispute
The matter reached such a stage that SRH threatened to play their home games away from Hyderabad if the harassment continued. The team had previously approached the IPL Governing Council and the BCCI for help, citing constant “blackmailing tactics” by the HCA.
To break the standoff, HCA Secretary R. Devraj discussed with SRH delegates Kiran, Saravanan, and Rohit Suresh. Based on these talks, both sides agreed to retain the current distribution of 3,900 free passes as per traditional practices.
Joint Statement Vows Professional Cooperation
In a communiqué released following the meeting, HCA and SRH both asserted, “HCA and SRH are committed to working together amicably to enhance the spectator experience at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.”
They also ensured that the rule of 10% free ticket according to the tri-party agreement would be adhered to strictly in future matches