Supreme Court Dismisses Forgery Case Against Badminton Star Lakshya Sen
Supreme Court's Ruling on Lakshya Sen's Case
In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court has dismissed an FIR against renowned badminton player Lakshya Sen, his family, and coach concerning allegations of birth certificate forgery. The bench, comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar, determined that pursuing criminal charges against Sen constituted an abuse of judicial process.
The court noted that the allegations had previously been investigated and disproven by appropriate authorities, and there was no new evidence to justify reopening the case.
The justices highlighted that the appellants, particularly Sen and his coach, are distinguished athletes who have represented India on international platforms, earning numerous accolades, including medals at the Commonwealth Games and BWF events.
The court emphasized that subjecting such individuals to a criminal trial without substantial evidence would not serve justice. It deemed the invocation of criminal law in this context as an abuse of process.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) had initiated a verification process in 2016 following complaints, which included medical examinations and factual inquiries. The players underwent tests at government hospitals, including AIIMS in Delhi, which confirmed the birth years stated in official documents, leading SAI to close the matter.
The complainant, M G Nagaraj, had alleged that the birth certificates of Lakshya and his brother Chirag were forged. The Supreme Court was reviewing a plea against a Karnataka High Court ruling that had previously rejected petitions from Sen and his associates.
Nagaraj claimed that Sen's parents and others were involved in falsifying the brothers' birth records to allow them to compete in age-restricted tournaments and access government benefits. He supported his allegations with documents obtained under the RTI Act.
The police had filed an FIR under various sections of the IPC, including cheating and forgery, after Nagaraj's complaint. However, the petitioners argued that the FIR was unfounded and motivated by personal grievances, particularly after Nagaraj's daughter was not selected for the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in 2020.
The Karnataka High Court had dismissed the petitions, noting that the petitioners' counsel failed to present arguments despite multiple opportunities.