FIR filed against IHPL organisers in Srinagar
Srinagar, Nov 3: Jammu and Kashmir Police have registered a case against the organisers of the Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), a private T20 cricket tournament in Srinagar that has allegedly unravelled into a major cricket scam.
As per the police authorities, a case has been filed at Police Station Rajbagh under FIR No. 56/2025, invoking Sections 316 and 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to police officials, an in-depth enquiry has been initiated, and arrests are expected soon. Preliminary investigations, as per the police, reveal that the two main organisers have fled to New Delhi and that a manhunt has been launched to trace them.
The league was touted as a major event to discover new cricketing talent from Kashmir. However, it collapsed after organisers vanished with players, with hotel management stating that organisers left the valley without settling payments.
The incident left several former cricketers allegedly stranded in a Srinagar hotel over unpaid bills.
Notably, the IHPL, organised by the Mohali-based Yuva Society, began with great fanfare in the last week of October and was scheduled to conclude on November 8. Matches were played at Bakshi Stadium, rented from the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council. However, the event came to an abrupt end on Saturday when players refused to take the field due to ‘unpaid’ dues.
Hotel management confirmed that the organisers had disappeared, prompting them to prevent the players and officials from leaving until pending bills were cleared. Meanwhile, an English umpire, Mellisa Juniper, officiating the IHPL matches in Srinagar, said that none of the officials or players had received payment. The police were later informed about the missing organisers.
Police visited the hotel after the complaints surfaced, leading to the registration of the FIR. “We have not received any payment. The organisers are missing, and we have been stranded here,” Juniper said.
The Yuva Society, headed by Parminder Singh, reportedly paid rent for Bakshi Stadium in advance but failed to sustain the event. Despite featuring eight teams—including Srinagar Sultans, Jammu Lions, Ladakh Heroes, and Gulmarg Royals—and participation from global cricket icons, the IHPL failed to attract large crowds.
Meanwhile, seeking a response over the ongoing row, the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council clarified that it had no role in organising the event.
