ED questions Azharuddin for over 9 hours in money-laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday questioned former Indian cricket team captain and Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin for over nine hours in a money-laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association, official sources said.

The federal agency recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

The 61-year-old former MP was first asked to depose before the ED on October 3 but he sought deferment of the notice and asked for a fresh date. The agency subsequently issued him fresh summons to appear on October 8.

Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, Azharuddin reached the ED office on Fateh Maidan Road around 11 am. He left the ED office after 9 pm.

He told reporters while exiting that he was "cooperating" with the investigation.

"All the allegations which have been made were baseless, frivolous and done with a mala fide intention. Beyond that I have nothing more to say. I don't want to go into the details," he said.

The probe is related to alleged financial irregularities in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). The ED had conducted searches in connection with the irregularities in November last year.

Azharuddin's role during his tenure as the HCA president is under the scanner of the agency, sources had said.

The former Indian skipper had unsuccessfully contested the Telangana Assembly polls held last year.

Following the registration of a case in connection with the alleged irregularities by the Telangana Police last year, he had said that the allegations levelled against him were "false" and "motivated" and it was "just a stunt" pulled by his rivals to ruin his reputation.