The ombudsman also suspended the five-member HCA Apex Council temporarily.
Former Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin has been re-instated as President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) by the ombudsman Justice (retd) Deepak Verma on Sunday (July 4).
Azharuddin was suspended as the President by the HCA Apex Council after it was alleged that he had violated the constitution of the state body, but Ombudsman Verma noted that the complaint registered against the former cricketer had not been forwarded to him, thus ruling out any legal validity.
At the same time, the HCA ombudsman Verma has also temporarily disqualified the five members of the HCA Apex Council – vice president K John Manoj, R Vijayanand, Naresh Sharma, Surender Agarwal, Anuradha in an interim order on Sunday.
As reported by PTI, Verma stated: “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.”
He continued in the order, “Therefore, I direct that Mohammed 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.”
On the five HCA Apex Council members, Justice Verma 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.”
The Ombudsman concluded, “It is clear from the above, that these members have mala fide intentions and do not want smooth functioning of HCA. It is for this reason and reasons mentioned above, I hereby direct that these members are temporarily disqualified from performing their duties as office bearers of the Apex Council till the time these Complaints attain finality.”
(With PTI Inputs)