Following an inquiry spread over two years, the Deputy Commissioner of Mansa has recommended dissolving the District Cricket Association, affiliated with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), Mohali, after it was found that officials allowed overage youths to play in junior teams.
The complaint in this regard was filed by advocate Aman Kumar with the Deputy Commissioner in December 2022. The inquiry report, finalised on November 4, also found that the age of such players was fudged on Aadhaar cards, allowing them to play alongside juniors.
“The petitioner has also approached the police department regarding this matter and an FIR No. 61 dated 07/03/2023 has also been registered. It is thus clear from the above facts that the allegations levelled by the applicant against the District Cricket Association, Mansa are proved to be true. Therefore, it is recommended that necessary action should be taken… by dissolving the existing body of the District Cricket Association, Mansa and to appoint a new body of District Cricket Association, Mansa, as per the rules,” the report concluded.
Mansa DCA president Dilraj Singh Bhundar, meanwhile, said the association cannot be held responsible if players falsified documents.
As per the complaint, the District Cricket Association, Mansa was favoured by outsiders – from other districts as well as states – because it allowed them to ‘reduce’ their age and feature in junior teams where they would easily be able to dominate younger players.
The names and details of some such players were also submitted. “On one hand, the scandal has hurt many deserving youngsters who were made to compete with players two to five years older than them. Many got frustrated and quit cricket after they were made to face such older players in Under-14, 16 and 19 groups. Besides, such fraud players managed to earn handsome money from PCA after their unfair selection though they did not make it to Team India,” Aman Kumar told The Indian Express.
The inquiry revealed that one player, whose date of birth was 9-06-2002 as per his school certificate, tweaked it to 24-11-2004 on his Aadhaar card, making him two years ‘younger’. Another player made himself six years ‘younger’, changing his date of birth from 08-12-1999 to 18-12-2005, the report said.
“These two players and many others have dual age registration with DCA, Mansa. Some players even have dual age registration with the PCA. The deputy commissioner’s inquiry has named a few players. But a proper inquiry held by the PCA or any other state-level or national-level authority would reveal a much bigger scandal,” said Kumar.
The deputy commissioner had sought related records from DCA, Mansa and the players’ respective schools to cross-check the allegations. “On perusal of the records submitted by the players to both the institutes (Cricket Association and School) and the Aadhaar cards/birth certificates etc. of the concerned, it is found that there is some truth in the application submitted by the applicant as there is a considerable discrepancy between the ‘date of birth’ recorded in the documents submitted by some players in the institutes and their Aadhaar cards/birth certificates,” read the report.
Responding to the report, Mansa DCA president Dilraj Singh Bhundar said, “A couple of such cases had come to our notice and we had banned those players. How can the association be held responsible for any false claims when it is the candidates and their parents who submit the age certificates?”
Bhundar, who is the son of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) acting president and ex-MLA Balwinder Singh Bhundar, added, “Already an inquiry in this regard is going on at the PCA. There are rules when it comes to dissolving the association. We are an autonomous body. The deputy commissioner can only give a recommendation. The PCA will also look into the matter.”
“We are committed to providing free and fair opportunities to every player. You must visit the cricket ground in Mansa. We started from scratch and spent from our pocket,” he said.
Last year, criminal proceedings were initiated against key officials, including DCA general secretary Jagmohan Dhaliwal, a teacher and several players, for their role in submitting falsified age documents.
“A chargesheet has not yet been filed in the case. The investigation has remained stuck after the police FIR. We are hopeful that the DC’s inquiry report will speed up the police investigation and the culprits will be held accountable,” Kumar said.