A sportsperson and social activist has filed a criminal public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court, alleging the existence of a scam in the sports fraternity.
A sportsperson and social activist has filed a criminal public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court, alleging the existence of a scam in the sports fraternity. According to the PIL, many sportsmen are using forged, fabricated and bogus certificates to illegally reap benefits like awards, Vishes Vetan Vaadh (special salary increments) and jobs under the job quota from the state and central government. The petitioner also claimed that the authorities have failed to take any action against the wrongdoers.
Salauddin Ansari, a former national champion, who once represented India in the Asian Games, filed the PIL via advocate Asif Naqvi seeking framing of guidelines to ensure that genuinely eligible sportspersons get benefits and all certificates are thoroughly scrutinised before any award or grant is given to sportspersons.
Mr Ansari has claimed that almost all leading newspapers had published news about these going-on but the government did not register an FIR, as per the Government Resolution (GR) issued in 2006.
He also claimed that some persons and high-ranking officers were misusing their positions to obtain false, fake and bogus certificates and, as a result, talented and eligible sportspersons, who do not have the means, were deprived of an opportunity to represent the country at the international level. According to Mr Ansari, the state and the sports authorities were not scrutinising the certificates properly and were granting prestigious awards on the basis of fabricated documents.
Mr Ansari also requested the court to direct the commissioner of police to provide security to himself as well as his family because there was a threat to his life.
In his petition, Mr Ansari claimed that he had obtained sufficient documents and records via the RTI to prove his claims. He also said that while obtaining RTI data about a power-lifting association he had to visit Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune on February 18 this year, and while returning from there on reaching the Mumbai Pune highway near Panvel, the tyres of his car started wobbling. He immediately stopped the vehicle and on checking the tyres found out that all bolts of left front tyre fell on road. He then realised that it was an attempt on his life, which was made to look like an accident.
The petitioner has claimed that there was a scam related to selling fake sports certificates and has sought investigation into it. The petition will come up for hearing in due course.
