U-19 star Rajvardhan Hangargekar accused of age fraud as Maharashtra official writes to BCCI

By Express News Service

CHENNAI:  Om Prakash Bakoria, the Commissioner of Sports & Youth Services, Maharashtra State, has written to the BCCI secretary Jay Shah to take strict action against Rajvardhan Hangargekar, who was part of the India Under-19 team that won the World Cup recently, for fabricating his birth date.

In the letter, a copy of which is with this daily, Bakoria, citing a probe conducted by the CEO of Osmanabad Zilla Parishad, has said Hangargekar altered his birth date from 10/01/2001 to 10/11/2002 at Terna Public School Osmanabad.

“The school record speaks that the birth date of Mr, Raivardhan Hangargekar up to 7th standard is recorded as 10/01/2001. As per general register maintained by Tema Public School, Osmanabad, his birth date is 10/0’1/2001. lt appears unauthorized corrections made by Head Master and his birth date is recorded as 10/11/2002 at the time of fresh admission for 8th standard,” Bakoria wrote.

Bakoria states that on the basis of the fabricated date Hangargekar got a chance to play for India and has called on the BCCI to act as per law.

“The conduct of the Mr Rajvardhan Hangargekar is against the sports integrity and ethics. lt deprives fair play and results into damages to the reputation of the nation. Therefore, you are requested to take strict action in accordance with the law,” he wrote to Shah attaching all the evidence.