BCCI President Mithun Manhas is the subject of a preliminary police inquiry ordered by a Jammu court after a former J&K Cricket Association office-bearer raised allegations concerning discrepancies in his date of birth records.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Sudershan Mehta, a retired Senior Deputy Superintendent of Police and former Joint Honorary Secretary of the J&K Cricket Association. Mehta approached the court under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), seeking registration of an FIR against Manhas over allegations of fraud, cheating and forgery connected to his date of birth.
The direction is for a preliminary inquiry and does not establish the allegations made against Manhas. The claims in Mehta’s complaint remain subject to police verification and any further proceedings.
Complaint moves to preliminary inquiry
The matter came before Sub-Judge/Special Railway Magistrate Sandeep Singh Sen after Mehta had also submitted a complaint to SP City North, Jammu, without an FIR being registered.
Special Railway Magistrate Sandeep Singh Sen said in the court order: “I have perused the application and other material annexed with the application and as per the provisions of BNSS before lodging or registering any cognizable offence by the concerned police, preliminary inquiry has to be conducted.”
The case has now moved to Nowabad Police Station for that inquiry, rather than to a finding on the substance of the complaint.
Records form basis of Mehta’s complaint
Mehta’s case centres on his allegation that different dates of birth were furnished during Manhas’ cricket career. He alleges that the discrepancies were used to obtain eligibility to participate in sub-junior and junior cricket tournaments.
The material referred to in the complaint includes information concerning Manhas’ schooling. He studied at Presentation Convent School in Gandhi Nagar before joining Maharaja Hari Singh Agriculture Collegiate (MHAC) School, Nagbani, in Class 6 on July 27, 1988, with admission number 2236.
Former J&K Cricket Association Joint Secretary Sudershan Mehta submitted before the court: “As per information received through email of Maharaja Hari Singh Agriculture Collegiate (MHAC) School Nagbani Jammu where Manhas studied, his date of birth was confirmed to be 09.12.1977 whereas the official website of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) revealed his date of birth as 12.10.1979.”
The complaint also references information from Mahavir Jain Higher Secondary School, Rani Park, Kachi Chawani, Jammu, where Manhas is stated to have attended Classes 11 and 12 during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 academic years.
Nowabad police face September deadline
The allegations will now be examined at the police inquiry stage. No determination that Manhas committed the alleged offences has been made by the court.
Sub-Judge/Special Railway Magistrate Sandeep Singh Sen said in the court order: “As such, SHO police station Nowabad, Jammu is directed to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the matter and submit its report before this court by or before September 3, 2026.”
Nowabad police are required to submit the preliminary inquiry report to the court by September 3, 2026, marking the next scheduled step in the proceedings.
