Jammu, August 19: A court-ordered preliminary inquiry into allegations concerning the date of birth of BCCI president and former Jammu and Kashmir cricketer Mithun Manhas has brought renewed attention to questions surrounding transparency and accountability in cricket administration in Jammu and Kashmir.
A Special Railway Magistrate’s Court in Jammu has directed the Station House Officer of Police Station Nowabad to conduct a preliminary inquiry into a complaint filed by Sudershan Mehta, former Joint Honorary Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), and submit a report before the court by September 3.
The complaint alleges that Manhas furnished different dates of birth at different stages of his cricket career. It cites records purportedly obtained from Maharaja Hari Singh Agriculture Collegiate School, Nagbani, which reportedly show his date of birth as December 9, 1977, while the Delhi and District Cricket Association website has reportedly carried October 12, 1979.
The allegations have not been established. The court has ordered a preliminary inquiry to determine whether the complaint discloses sufficient grounds for further action.
The court’s direction has nevertheless revived discussion within sections of the J&K cricket fraternity over the handling of age and eligibility-related allegations in the sport.
Similar questions had surfaced in an earlier case involving another J&K cricketer, with allegations reportedly concerning age and eligibility for junior-level cricket. The matter was referred to the Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which reportedly registered a case following examination of the allegations. The complaint was later withdrawn on behalf of the JKCA by a senior sub-committee member, according to the claims made in the present discussion.
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