Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and its president to not take any administrative or policy decision involving financial matters, except for payment of salaries to its employees and other day-to-day expenses of the association.Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy of the High Court issued the interim directions in a petition filed by the Telangana Cricket Association (TCA) which sought directions to the state government, the BCCI and the CBI to investigate and take action against the HCA for its involvement in alleged fraudulent transactions and for other appropriate reliefs. Senior counsel P. Raja Sripathi Rao, appearing for the petitioner TCA, submitted that the HCA managing committee was misusing its powers in the expenditure of funds. It was further submitted that the HCA president stood disqualified from contesting elections, and that inquiries conducted in the past against the treasurer had found him to be responsible for misutilisation or misappropriation of the association’s funds. Senior counsel Sripathi Rao also brought to the notice of the court that the HCA president had earlier represented Sri Chakra Cricket Club (formerly Gowlipura Cricket Club). Suppressing the fact that he was disqualified from contesting the elections, he had contested the polls on behalf of Sri Chakra Cricket Club and was elected HCA president. Therefore, the HCA president was not entitled to discharge any duties, as the same may adversely affect the reputation and interests of the association. It was further submitted that the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad, had attached immovable property worth `51.29 lakh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in the case of misappropriation of HCA funds by its office-bearers. The ED investigation revealed that the HCA office-bearers gave contracts for supply of cricket balls to Sara Sports, bucket chairs to Excellent Enterprises and gym equipment to Body Drench India Pvt. Ltd, at highly inflated prices. The illegal financial gains received by the suppliers, proceeds of crime (POC) in the case, were transferred to Surender Agarwal, former vice-president and treasurer of the HCA, and his family members as quid pro quo. It was further submitted that ED was investigating the case on the basis of several FIRs registered against the office-bearers of the HCA on charges of misappropriation of funds. Sripathi Rao also contended that, at the instance of the treasurer, who was involved in the alleged fraudulent transactions, the HCA managing committee was taking policy decisions in order to cover up its lapses, without maintaining accounts and thereby mismanaging the affairs of the association. Senior counsel J. Ramachander Rao, appearing for the HCA, submitted that the managing committee was recently elected under the supervision of the inquiry officer appointed by the Supreme Court. The committee was discharging its functions strictly in accordance with the HCA bye-laws, he said. The judge opined that the issues raised by both sides required to be adjudicated at the time of final hearing. Meanwhile, he issued interim directions restricting the managing committee from taking administrative or policy decisions involving financial matters. The judge adjourned the hearing to June 16.