Single judge order on HCA set aside

A division bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Justice A. Rajasekhar Reddy and Justice Shameem Akthar on Tuesday set aside the single judge order, which stayed the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Ombudsman’s disqualification issued against HCA vice president, secretary and three other office bearers on charges of fraudulent acts.

However, the Division Bench directed the Apex Council of HCA not to take any key decision for the next 10 days. The court made it clear that league matches would go as per schedule.

The Bench was dealing with an appeal filed by HCA president Mohammed Azharuddin, who challenged the single judge court’s interim directions in the petition filed by HCA vice-president K. John Manoj, who had requested the court to stay disqualification orders of Ombudsman of HCA.

On 7 July, the single judge stayed the decision to temporarily disqualify K. John Manoj (vice-president), R. Vijayanand (secretary), Naresh Sharma (joint secretary), Surender Agarwal (treasurer) and P. Anuradha (councillor) from performing their duties as office-bearers of the Apex Council.

B. Adinarayana Rao, senior counsel representing Azharuddin on Tuesday explained to the Bench that the appointment of retired justice Deepak Varma as Ombudsman was upheld by the High Court and no orders were issued by the Supreme Court in the SLP filed challenging the High Court orders.

Without considering it, the single judge relied on the submissions of five disqualified members, who had passed a resolution proposing to appoint Justice Nissar Ahmad Kakru (retired CJ of united AP High Court) as Ombudsman and retired CJ of Meghalaya High Court Justice T. Meena Kumari as Ethics Officer.

Senior counsel S. Ravi appeared on behalf of vicepresident K. John Manoj and informed the court that the Ombudsman of the HCA unilaterally suspended five members of the elected body and nominated their own people.

But the Division Bench granted stay on the single judge’s orders and suggested both sides submit their contentions before the single judge’s court.