Bengaluru: The President of Karnataka Badminton Association, Vimal Kumar, who is also the coach of badminton star Saina Nehwal, is in the dock for allegedly allowing an 18-year-old youth to play national and international level matches for under-15 category, using fake birth certificate.
The secretary of the Karnataka Badminton Association, Bhaskar Raj Urs, has also been booked.
Based on the complaint registered at the High Grounds police station, the cops booked two office bearers of the badminton association along with the player, identified as Daniel Farid, and his father, a manager at a Mumbai-based nationalised bank.
All of them have been booked for cheating and forgery, a non-bailable offence, police said. The player’s father, Shadab Farid, has been arrested and as of now as the player’s age is under scrutiny, the police have sent the badminton player to Bowring and Madivala Forensic Science Laboratory to ascertain his biological age.
“If he is proved to be a minor, but 16 or 17, then he will be booked under Juvenile Justice Act. If he is proved that he is 18 or above, then he will be arrested,” police said.
According to the police, Shadab had got his son’s birth certificate forged to show that he was 15 years old, in order to help him participate in under-15 category.
Some other contestants and their parents had informed Vimal Kumar about the incident, but he failed to take action. They then lodged a police complaint. The High Grounds police have taken up a case and are investigating.
