Mithun Manhas Date Of Birth Row: Jammu Court Orders Inquiry Into Complaint Alleging Different DOBs In Cricket Records Of BCCI Prez
A Jammu Court has directed a preliminary inquiry into a complaint alleging that the incumbent BCCI President Mithun Manhas furnished different dates of birth in records connected with his cricket career and thereby obtained an advantage in participating in sub-junior and junior-level cricket tournaments.The Court has directed the Station House Officer, Police Station Nowabad, Jammu, to...
A Jammu Court has directed a preliminary inquiry into a complaint alleging that the incumbent BCCI President Mithun Manhas furnished different dates of birth in records connected with his cricket career and thereby obtained an advantage in participating in sub-junior and junior-level cricket tournaments.
The Court has directed the Station House Officer, Police Station Nowabad, Jammu, to conduct the preliminary inquiry and submit a report before the Court by September 3, 2026.
The Court was hearing an application under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 seeking registration of an FIR against Manhas on allegations of fraud, cheating and forgery concerning his date of birth. The application had been transferred to the Court of the Sub-Judge/Special Railway Magistrate, Jammu, from the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu, for disposal in accordance with law.
A Bench presided over by Sandeep Singh Sen, KCS (Judicial), Sub-Judge/Special Railway Magistrate, Jammu, considered the complaint and the material annexed with it. The Court observed,
“...As per the provisions of BNSS before lodging or registering any cognizable offence by the concerned police, preliminary inquiry has to be conducted by the Magistrate.”
The complaint was filed by Sudershan Mehta, a retired Senior Deputy Superintendent of Police and former Joint Honorary Secretary of the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association. The complainant had earlier submitted a complaint on May 5, 2026, against proposed accused Mithun Manhas, alleging that he had forged and fabricated his date of birth to gain an advantage while playing junior-level cricket at the national level.
According to the allegations recorded in the order, Manhas had shown two different dates of birth for purposes connected with his participation and selection in national tournaments under the sub-junior and junior categories. The complainant relied upon information obtained from Maharaja Hari Singh Agriculture Collegiate (MHAC) School, Nagbani, Jammu, which, according to the complaint, confirmed his date of birth as December 9, 1977.
The complaint contrasted this date with the date of birth shown on the official website of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, which, according to the material placed before the Court, reflected October 12, 1979.
The complainant further relied upon information concerning Manhas's school history. The material referred to his admission to MHAC School, Nagbani, in Class VI on July 27, 1988, with admission number 2236 and a date of birth recorded as December 9, 1977. It also referred to his subsequent studies at Mahavir Jain Higher Secondary School, Jammu, during the academic years 1993-94 and 1994-95.
The complainant alleged that the contradictory dates of birth disclosed in the material were the result of misrepresentation, false statements and fabrication of records, allegedly intended to secure the benefit of participation in sub-junior and junior cricket tournaments under the J&K Cricket Association as well as the Delhi and District Cricket Association.
The complaint alleged commission of offences corresponding to Sections 415, 420 and 462 of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code and Sections 318(4), 321 and 323 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. It also stated that similar complaints had been made before the police, including before the SP City North, Jammu, but had not been acted upon.The complainant supported the application with an affidavit and sought registration of an FIR against the proposed accused.
The Court recorded that it had considered the application and the material placed along with it. At this stage, rather than directing immediate registration of an FIR, the Court proceeded to address the requirement of a preliminary inquiry before registration or lodging of a cognizable offence in the circumstances before it.
The Court stated, “I have perused the application and other material annexed with the application”, before recording its approach under the provisions of the BNSS. The Court then recorded its understanding of the procedural requirement applicable at this stage, observing, “before lodging or registering any cognizable offence by the concerned police, preliminary inquiry has to be conducted by the Magistrate.”
On that basis, the Court did not finally determine the allegations concerning the date of birth or record a finding that the proposed accused had committed fraud, cheating or forgery. Instead, it directed the police to examine the matter through a preliminary inquiry.
The operative direction records,
“SHO P/S Nowabad, Jammu is directed to conduct preliminary enquiry into the matter and submit its report before this court by or before 03.09.2026.”
The matter has thus been posted on September 03, 2026 for further review.
Case Title: Sudershan Mehta v. Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Appearances
Complainant: Paras Kapahi, Advocate; Pranav Mahajan, Advocate