The Delhi police have filed two separate charge sheets against Vinod Tihara, suspended Delhi and District Cricket Association(DDCA) secretary, and the principal of a school owned by Tihara for their alleged role in forging date of birth certificates of aspiring cricketers to make older players participate in tournaments meant for lower age-groups.

The police charge sheet also names parents of seven cricketers. “Some of these cricketers also participated in the under 19 Cricket World Cup 2018, which India had won,” an officer, who did not wish to be named, said.

The charge sheets were filed last week in the court of chief metropolitan magistrate, Tis Hazari court. Police said Tihara as well the school principal, along with the parents of seven players, were booked under IPC sections 420 , 468, 471 and 120B .

Hindustan Times contacted Tihara for a response but repeated phone calls and text messages did not elicit a response.

Delhi police had registered two FIRs in 2014 and 2015 on the basis of complaints by Kirti Azad, former Member of Parliament and a retired international cricketer. Azad had alleged that parents of the cricketers in connivance with Tihara committed fraud in order to make their wards play for Delhi team under various age categories.

“Along with Tihara, the case was filed against parents of seven juvenile cricketers and one cricketer who was an adult. Some of these players even played in the Indian under 19 cricket team that won the 2018 Under-19 World Cup held in New Zealand,” an officer said, requesting anonymity.

Police said probe has revealed that the parents of these eight cricketers got ages of their children changed in municipal records illegally and got them admitted to a school with Tihara’s and the principal’s help to create proof of a fictitious date of birth, which would be accepted by the DDCA.

Police said Tihara was the convener of sports working committee of the DDCA at that time and misused his position to promise the parents of the young players a career in international cricket.

First Published: Jun 12, 2019 06:37 IST