TOI Exclusive: Junior wrestlers handed ban in fake birth-certificate scam; MCD admits lapse | More sports News

TOI Exclusive: Junior wrestlers handed ban in fake birth-certificate scam; MCD admits lapse | More sports News

Representative image (ANI Photo) Nearly 30 suspended after probe shows 100 false documents issued from identical addresses, revealing coach-MCD official nexusNEW DELHI: In a major age-fraud case, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) announced a ban on nearly 30 junior wrestlers after they were found to have procured and submitted fake birth certificates, predominantly obtained from areas under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) Narela and Rohini jurisdictions among its 12 administrative zones.Fake birth certificates of the junior athletes procured from identical addresses came to light after a TOI investigation revealed a network involving wrestlers, coaches and officials from the MCD, all working in collusion within the Capital’s municipal zones that border neighbouring Haryana.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Additionally, Yash Kumar, a reigning Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) gold medallist in men’s 80kg freestyle, has been directed to undergo a ‘bone test’ to determine his actual age following revelations of repeated tampering with his date of birth (DOB) on his Aadhar card. Until the medical verification process is concluded, Yash will not receive any Khelo India incentives. Yash, who according to the federation is physically over 20 years of age was recently disqualified from representing Delhi in an under-17 national wrestling competition on the grounds of being overage. Poll How serious do you consider the issue of age fraud in sports to be? As per the investigation, the examination of documents involving at least 100 wrestlers revealed inconsistencies between addresses and birth dates on their registration certificates and the information provided to the WFI. The governing body is now scrutinising around 400 cases from Haryana alone in which young athletes are suspected of using fake certificates from Delhi to become eligible for younger age-group events. The main objective appears to be securing college admissions and potential government jobs. Passports given to the WFI revealed residential addresses in Rohtak, Jhajjar, and Sonepat. The WFI made queries to several zones of the Municipal Corporation of Haryana (MCH), as well as the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB), exposing the extensive scale of the age-fraud case.It was revealed that nearly all wrestlers under review had secured fake birth certificates from identical place of registration – in Begumpur under the Narela jurisdiction and Mangolpuri in the Rohini zone. A detailed scrutiny of original birth certificates from Haryana municipal authorities, as well as passports, revealed actual birthplaces and addresses in Rohtak, Jhajjar, and Sonepat, in addition to differing DOBs. Most of the wrestlers were born between 2006-2009 but had birth certificates registered in 2021-2022, indicating a disparity of nearly 14-15 years. Virat Kohli’s love for ‘dhaba’ food, priority for family & more | RCB bus driver shares stories In one instance, Dipanshu cited his DOB as 26/10/2009, with a birth certificate registration date of 06/01/2021, obtained from one of the same addresses – Rajeev Nagar, Begumpur, North West Delhi 110086. The federation checks with the department of health services, Municipal Corporation Rohtak, revealed his true DOB as 16/10/2006, with his home in Rainak Pura village, Rohtak. Similarly, national-level wrestler Rohit Gulia was found to have manipulated personal data repeatedly, including DOB changes and unauthorised Aadhar updates (seven times from 2013 to 2021). His official birth certificate from the Municipal Corporation of Rohtak documented his DOB as 17/10/1999, while he declared it as 17/10/2001 in national competitions. Both Dipanshu and Rohit have now been banned by WFI from all future tournaments.WFI president Sanjay Singh has written to Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta to act against MCD officials. “What is particularly alarming is the frequency of such (false) certificates being issued after a considerable lapse of time. This is contrary to the normal practice, wherein birth certificates are typically issued within one- or two-months following birth. The Narela zone, situated close to the Haryana border, has seen a disproportionately high number of such delayed issuances. I urge your office to kindly direct the concerned authorities in all MCD zones to exercise strict scrutiny and restraint in issuing birth certificates where the application is made after an unusually long delay,” he added.MCD has admitted to the lapse and said it will probe this issue.

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Top KSCA officials resign after owning moral responsibility for Bengaluru stampede

Top KSCA officials resign after owning moral responsibility for Bengaluru stampede

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) secretary A Shankar and treasurer E Jairam have handed in their resignations in the wake of the Bengaluru stampede on Friday, June 6. The duo announced their decision through a joint press release on Saturday. The Bengaluru stampede happened on the day after RCB’s IPL title win on June 3. The incident led to the death of 11 people and left many injured. In the press release, Shankar and Sriram said that they are taking moral responsibility for the incident, despite their role in it being very limited. The duo said that they had handed their resignations to the President of KSCA on Friday. “This is to inform that due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days and though our role was very limited, but owing moral responsibility, we wish to state that last night we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, by way of a letter dated 06.06.2025 to the President of Karnataka State Cricket Association. This is for your information,” read the statement on the press release. How did the Bengaluru stampede happen A large crowd had gathered outside the Chinnaswamy stadium to be a part of the felicitation ceremony for the RCB players on June 4 after they won the IPL 2025 title after beating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the final. However, complete mismanagement of the large crowd led to the death of 11 people, and nearly 50 were injured as a deadly stampede broke out outside the venue. Even though the event was only for people with valid passes, a huge crowd appeared at the venue to get a glimpse of the RCB squad. Since then, RCB has announced a compensation for the families of the victims and set up a fund to help the people who were injured in the incident. Published On: Jun 7, 2025 Tune In

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Bengaluru stampede case: Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary, treasurer resign; RCB parent company remains tight lipped | Cricket News

Bengaluru stampede case: Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary, treasurer resign; RCB parent company remains tight lipped | Cricket News

Workers remove footwear lying near Gate No. 7 of the Chinnaswamy Stadium a day after the stampede, following a large gathering of fans for the felicitation of IPL 2025 winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru team, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. (PTI) Karnataka State Cricket Association secrteary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam have resigned from their posts in the aftermath of the stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 that claimed 11 lives and injured 75 people. Lakhs of people had congregated to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL title a night before.“This is to inform that due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days and though our role was very limited, but owing moral responsibility, we wish to state that last night we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, by way of a letter dated 06.06.2025 to the President of Karnataka State Cricket Association,” said Shankar and Jairam in a press release on Saturday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Despite getting some leeway from the Karnataka High Court, pressure had mounted on the KSCA top brass to step down on moral grounds.In their plea in court, KSCA’s committee had stated: “There is no wrong that can be attributed to the committee or its office-bearers as they stand aloof of any liabilities against the entire unfortunate incident…” They also stated that the stadium is managed by RCB since the IPL franchise had rented the premises. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy Additionally, news agency PTI reported that the KSCA had sought permission from the government to conduct the celebrations on behalf of event management company DNA Entertainment Networks. The KSCA stated that the concerned company would “make necessary arrangements” for the event.“On behalf of the M/s DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited, KSCA requests to inform that after the TATA IPL 2025 Finals on 3rd June 2025, in case Royal Challengers Bengaluru wins the IPL 2025 title, M/s DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited shall make plans for the felicitation ceremony at the Vidhana Soudha Grand Steps,” KSCA stated in the letter.“KSCA requests that M/s DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited shall be permitted to make necessary arrangements at the Vidhana Soudha Grand Steps,” the association further said in the letter addressed to the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR) of the state government.While the felicitation ceremony at the Vidhan Soudha passed off without any major glitch, chaos happened outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium where lakhs converged following RCB’s social media invitation, despite inadequate planning and organisation. That post has since been deleted. A planned victory parade, on an open top bus, had to be cancelled but the function inside the stadium proceeded despite the tragedy that unfolded outside.KSCA puts blame squarely on RCB, DNA Complaint Filed Against Virat Kohli Over Bengaluru Stampede | RCB | IPL | Karnataka The KSCA pleaded in Court that there is “absolutely no wrong that can be attributed to the Petitioner Committee or its office bearers as they stand aloof of any liabilities against the entire unfortunate incident.”“IPL events are conducted by RCB through their service provider M/S DNA network private limited and the role of KSCA is very limited as it accommodates by extending the venue and infrastructure,” the body stated in its writ petition.“KCSA facilitates government permissions. The management of gates is the responsibility of RCB Franchise /DNA who execute under the direction of the police.“The police have registered the FIR under intense pressure and compelling circumstances without any preliminary enquiry by naming the petitioner/members of KSCA as accused,” it added.Justice SR Krishna Kumar, who heard the petition seeking to quash the FIR against the KSCA office-bearers, restrained the police from taking any coercive action against the officials until the next hearing (June 16).RCB parent company stays quiet Footwears lie on the ground outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium following a stampede after a large number of fans gathered for the felicitation of IPL 2025 winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru team, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. (Pic credit: PTI) It has now been three days since tragedy struck Bengaluru and innocent lives were lost due to the chaos. RCB have issued statements, announced monetary compensation for the families of the deceased 11 individuals and setup a ‘RCB Cares’ fund for the injured fans.Yet, the parent company behind RCB, Diageo, have remained quiet. As TimesofIndia.com reported, we’ve sent a specific set of questions to Diageo on the stampede. The queries ask for their reaction on the incident, why they’ve been quiet, whether they were satisfied with the arrangements and whether this has soured the victory celebrations. As things stand, the company has not responded.Meanwhile, RCB’s marketing head Nikhil Sosale has been sent to judicial custody until June 19. He, and three other DNA Event Management Company staffers, was arrested in the early hours of Friday at the airport.

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Bengaluru stampede: Shankar and Jairam resign as secretary and treasurer of Karnataka State Cricket Association

Bengaluru stampede: Shankar and Jairam resign as secretary and treasurer of Karnataka State Cricket Association

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans who gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025. Taking moral responsibility for the Bengaluru stampede, Shankar and Jairam have rendered their resignation from the post of secretary and treasurer on June 7, 2025. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar Two top Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials resigned in the aftermath of the stampede at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives. A. Shankar and E.S. Jairam, the KSCA Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer respectively, tendered their resignation on Saturday (June 7, 2025). “This is to inform that due to the unforeseen and unfortunate events that have unfolded in the last two days and though our role was very limited, but owing moral responsibility, we wish to state that last night we have tendered our resignation to our respective posts as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, by way of a letter dated 6.06.2025 to the President of Karnataka State Cricket Association,” a joint statement from Shankar and Jairam read. Shankar and Jairam Former India cricketer Raghuram Bhat remains the KSCA president. On Friday (June 6, 2025), the High Court of Karnataka restrained the police from taking any coercive steps against the three members of the KSCA managing committee, based on the FIR registered in connection with the stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy stadium. The KSCA had submitted that it had only rented out the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), which owns RCB. In November 2022, Raghuram and the rest of the office bearers were elected unopposed. The next election is scheduled to be held later this year. Published – June 07, 2025 10:20 am IST

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Watch: Rohit Sharma shares unknown story of Cheteshwar Pujara from India A's tour of West Indies in 2012 | Cricket News

Watch: Rohit Sharma shares unknown story of Cheteshwar Pujara from India A’s tour of West Indies in 2012 | Cricket News

File photo of Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma. At the launch of Cheteshwar Pujara’s wife Puja’s book ‘The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife’, Rohit Sharma revealed an anecdote from their 2012 tour of West Indies. Then part of India A setup, the team were in Trinidad and Tobago when Pujara was mobbed.“She’s aware but she doesn’t have the details,” stated Pujara when Rohit asked if the incident finds space in the book. After being notified that it doesn’t, the host urged the duo to elaborate.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I’m a vegetarian, so we were looking for a vegetarian meal at night and it was in TNT [Trinidad and Tobago] where we went out at 11 in the evening,” said Pujara before adding, “So, we didn’t find the meal but when we were walking back, I was mobbed. I can’t tell you in detail about it but that’s the story he’s referring to.”In response Rohit, the former India Test and T20I captain chimed in, “Moral of the story, sometimes he can be stubborn. We told him, we warned him, don’t go in the night. Don’t go outside after 9pm, this is the West Indies.”During the book launch event, among the many things, Rohit credited Pujara for playing over 100 Tests after suffering ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries to both his knees right at the start of his career.The Mumbai batter also shed light on how they would plan extensively on how to get the Saurashtra batter who had the skill and patience to bat for lengthy periods.“I still remember, team meetings only revolved around him (on) how to get him out, and if we don’t get him out, probably we’d lose the game,” Rohit said.“All I remember is that when I used to go to the ground, when I was 14-years-old, and when I came back in the evening, the colour of my face would be completely different,” he said. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy “Because he used to bat all day and we used to field in the sun for (even) 2-3 days. I still remember that my mother asked me a couple of times that when you go to play from home, you look different and when you come home, after a week or 10 days, you look different.“I would say, ‘mom, what do I do? There’s a batsman by the name of Cheteshwar Pujara. He’s been batting for three days’… so that is the first impression that we had of him,” Rohit added.Pujara has scored 7,195 runs at 43.60 with 19 tons and 35 fifties from 103 Tests for India. While not retired, his last Test appearance came in June 2023.

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WTC Final: Marco Jansen reveals Ricky Ponting's cheeky send-off - 'Good luck, but hope you lose' ahead of Australia clash | Cricket News

WTC Final: Marco Jansen reveals Ricky Ponting’s cheeky send-off – ‘Good luck, but hope you lose’ ahead of Australia clash | Cricket News

Marco Jansen with Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting. (Pic credit: IPL) South African pacer Marco Jansen has shared the cheeky parting words from Ricky Ponting that continue to echo in his mind as he prepares to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord’s.Fresh off a stellar Indian Premier League (IPL) season with Punjab Kings, where he claimed 16 wickets in 14 matches, Jansen revealed that Ponting, who coached the Kings to a runners-up finish in his debut season, offered both support and a light-hearted jab before Jansen left India for England.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Before I left (India), he (Ponting) just said, ‘Good luck, I hope you do well, but I hope you lose’,” Jansen told ICC Digital with a grin, as South Africa’s warm-up match against Zimbabwe was washed out in Arundel.The 24-year-old left-armer was full of praise for Ponting’s coaching style, especially his ability to nurture confidence and focus on the positives. Poll Do you believe Marco Jansen will excel in the ICC World Test Championship Final? “I learnt a lot from him, especially from a mental point of view. He is always positive and he always sees the good stuff instead of the bad. I think that’s why he’s a legend of the game,” Jansen said. “He always reminds you what could happen, what you can do, instead of what might go wrong.”Now shifting focus to red-ball cricket, Jansen is keen to soak up more knowledge from recently retired England pacer Stuart Broad, who has joined the Proteas in a consulting role ahead of the WTC Final. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy “Obviously, he’s played a lot against Australia at Lord’s,” Jansen said. “Maybe I’ll pick his brain… ask what they did to get certain batters out. But at the end of the day, you still have to figure it out yourself on the pitch.”

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