Bengaluru, February 25 – The Karnataka High Court has dismissed the petitions filed by badminton player Lakshya Sen, his family, and his coach U Vimal Kumar, challenging the investigation into alleged tampering with birth certificates. The court stated that there is prima facie evidence suggesting the need for further investigation into the matter.
The case originated from a private complaint filed by M.G. Nagraj, who accused Lakshya Sen's parents, Dhirendra and Nirmala Sen, his brother Chirag Sen, coach U Vimal Kumar, and an employee of the Karnataka Badminton Association of falsifying birth records. The complaint alleged that the birth certificates of Lakshya and Chirag Sen were tampered with to reduce their ages by approximately two years and six months. This purported manipulation aimed to allow the brothers to participate in age-restricted badminton tournaments and gain government benefits.
Nagraj supported his claims with documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and requested the court to summon original records from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, New Delhi. Following this, the High Court directed the High Grounds Police Station to investigate the matter.
In response to the court's directives, the police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery), and 471 (using forged documents as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code. However, the petitioners approached the Karnataka High Court in 2022 and secured an interim order that temporarily halted the investigation.
The petitioners argued that the complaint and the FIR were baseless, malicious, and intended to harass them. They alleged that Nagraj brought up the issue due to personal animosity, as his daughter had applied for admission to the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in 2020 but was not selected following the evaluation process. Since Vimal Kumar is a coach at this academy, his name was also included in the complaint.
Justice M.G. Uma, while dismissing the petitions, noted that the petitioners' counsel was given ample opportunity to present arguments but failed to do so. The judge also declined the request for additional time.
In the ruling, Justice Uma stated, "When there is prima facie evidence on record that establishes the offenses, there is no justification to halt the investigation or quash the criminal proceedings." The court further emphasized that the complainant had provided substantial documentary evidence through the RTI, reinforcing the need for a thorough investigation.
