DDCA age-fudging case: CBI initiates probe against 22 U-19 cricketers

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against 22 cricketers who were barred in 2015 by BCCI allegedly for age-fudging to play under-19 cricket matches in 2014 through Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

The PE report has mentioned the names of six Delhi-based cricketers and others are unnamed, sources said. Before these 22 cricketers were barred by the BCCI, an FIR was lodged against 12 cricketers by a former India cricketer and a Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad in 2014.

As per the procedure, we have registered a PE report to verify the suspected charges against the players. After getting prima facie evidence against them, the PE will be converted into a formal FIR and a case will be registered, an official in CBI said.

In the PE, six names of the players have been mentioned while others are unknown. They are suspected to be over-aged, allegedly furnished fake voter ID and PAN cards to lower their age. It is also suspected that the players manipulated Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3) test report, which is usually conducted on players by doctors to know their age, sources said.

Earlier in July, similar charges were put on 30 cricketers in Odisha allegedly forged their dates of birth to play Under-19 cricket matches organised by the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) in April. During the was alleged that OCA CEO Bidyut Nayak’s son Subham Nayak also manipulated his age.