The Indian Heaven Premier League (IHPL), a private T20 cricket tournament in Srinagar featuring international stars like Chris Gayle, has been suspended midway following accusations of fraud, with organizers reportedly fleeing the city and leaving behind over ₹80 lakh in unpaid hotel bills, prompting police to register a criminal case.
Srinagar police filed FIR No. 127/2025 at Kothibagh Police Station under Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, based on complaints from affected parties, according to reports from ETV Bharat. An investigation is underway into the Mohali-based Yuva Society, the event’s organizer, which has gone incommunicado since canceling matches abruptly over the weekend, details received by The Chenab Times confirm.
The league, which began on October 25 at Bakshi Stadium—a venue primarily used for football and government events—drew hundreds of spectators for early matches but ended in disarray after players boycotted over non-payment of salaries and fees. Eight teams, including Pulwama Titans and Ladakh Heroes, were scheduled for 27 games concluding on November 8, with around 70 players, umpires, and staff accommodated at the Radisson Collection Hotel in Rajbagh.
Hotel management locked rooms on November 2, preventing departures until bills were settled, leaving participants without access to food or belongings. England and Wales Cricket Board coach Mel Juniper, an umpire in the tournament, described the ordeal to reporters inside the hotel. “The league hasn’t paid any bills. They haven’t paid players, umpires, staff or the hotel. They had told the hotel to hold the players within the building. The league management is nowhere to be seen and they are not even receiving our calls,” Juniper said, as quoted by Economic Times. “We can’t play till our dues are cleared,” she added.
A senior Radisson official confirmed the scale of the default. “The balance amount of IHPL management is huge. It is a huge financial loss to everyone. But we have nothing to do with the players. They closed the event suddenly with no prior information or clearance of bills. Many of them have left the hotel now,” the official told Economic Times. After media exposure and negotiations, most participants, including former internationals like South Africa’s Jesse Ryder and New Zealand’s Richard Levi, were allowed to leave, though some local players remained as of Monday.
The fallout extends to unpaid vendors, including advertisers, caterers, sound technicians, and shuttle drivers, who have formed groups to demand compensation, as reported by Deccan Chronicle. Both the official IHPL website (ihplt20.com) and the organizer’s site (yuvasociety.org) now display only a placeholder message: “# Coming Soon Get ready, something cool is coming!”, according to current site checks by The Chenab Times.
Promoted with apparent involvement from the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, the event saw Secretary Nuzhat Gul and senior bureaucrats at the inaugural on October 25. Gul has since distanced the council, stating it had no official role beyond renting Bakshi Stadium, for which payment was received. “Officially, this league has nothing to do with the government or Sports Council,” she told Economic Times. On her attendance, she added: “I can get invites from anyone… that doesn’t prove any association or impact my credibility in any way.”
Former Indian cricketer Surinder Khanna, listed on the managing committee, issued a statement denying involvement. “Mr. Surender Khanna has no relation to the league whatsoever—past, present or future and was invited as a guest,” it read, as shared on X.
Chenabi players from the Chenab Valley participated early on, with The Chenab Times previously reporting selections of Mehmood ur Rehman, Saqib Majeed, and Basharat Hussain Wani from Kishtwar district, alongside Yawar Ayoub Khan from Doda district, who played several matches.
The scandal has drawn criticism for tarnishing Srinagar’s image as a sports tourism hub, with a former J&K Ranji player calling it exploitative of athletes’ aspirations. Sponsors have not commented publicly. Jammu and Kashmir authorities have vowed stern action, though no arrests have been reported.
Updates on the police probe and dues recovery are pending.
The Chenab Times News Desk