HC clears pitch for cricket world cup games in Hyderabad, orders defreezing of HCA bank accounts

Hyderabad: The clouds of uncertainty over the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Hyderabad were lifted after the Telangana High Court on Friday ordered the defreezing of the bank accounts of HCA, the host association in charge of organising the games in the city.

The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), run by a Supreme Court-appointed single-member committee in the absence of elected office-bearers, on Wednesday, had approached the Telangana High Court for defreezing of its bank accounts which a lower court had attached.

“The court order has come through and the bank account is operational,” HCA CEO Suneel Kanye told the news agency PTI.

As a result, the opening warm-up fixture of the World Cup between Pakistan and New Zealand was staged smoothly. Hyderabad will host another warm-up game on October 3 and three matches in the tournament, beginning October 5.

The case regarding Rs 17.5 crores halted HCA operations

The high court issued the order in connection with a commercial executive petition filed by G Vivekanand, owner of Visala Industries and former HCA president. The court clarified that all assets including Uppal stadium and HCA bank accounts should be released from attachment. Moreover HCA has been instructed not to grant benefits to third parties on immovable and movable property.

HCA had earlier sought the quashing of a trial court’s order that froze accounts and assets of the cricket body including Uppal International Stadium over non-payments of dues.

Justice L.Nageshwar Rao approached the High Court challenging the Ranga Reddy District court's attachment of all assets including Uppal Stadium and HCA bank accounts.

Further, requested to cancel those attachments which were made without hearing their arguments.

A commercial executive petition was filed by Visakha Industries at the Ranga Reddy District Court.

The Court attached HCA properties and bank accounts in October 2022 for non-payment of dues to Visakha Industries. For this, HCA had appealed to the High Court to unfreeze the bank accounts.

In 2004, Visakha Industries sponsored the construction of the Uppal Stadium by taking a loan from the bank. HCA however cancelled its sponsorship agreement forcing Visakha Industries to approach court.

In 2016, the Court directed HCA to pay Rs 25 crore as compensation to Visakha Industries with 18 percent annual interest for cancelling the agreement.

The High Court asked HCA administrator, former judge Lacy Nageshwara Rao, to pay Visala Industries Rs 17.5 crores within six weeks. The issue was related to the alleged violation of the development agreement of the stadium and dates to 2004 when the facility was built.

In 2016, Visaka Industries said it had got a favourable arbitral tribunal order, directing the HCA to pay Rs 25.92 crores with 18 per cent interest per annum.

“We want cricket to go on but the HCA has been dilly-dallying the case for the past seven years. We have to take the correct legal side and that is why we went for the attachment. We want the issue to be resolved,” said Vivekanand.

Pakistan, who arrived here on Wednesday, will face Netherlands in their World Cup opener on October 6 facing Sri Lanka on October 10.

(Inputs from PTI)