Lakshya Sen Age Fraud Case Explained: All you need to know

The case has moved to the Supreme Court of India.

India’s badminton star Lakshya Sen is facing serious accusations of age fraud that have reached the Supreme Court. Along with Lakshya, his brother Chirag Sen, his parents, and coach U. Vimal Kumar are also involved in this controversy.

The case originated from allegations that the brothers manipulated their birth certificates to play in junior tournaments, and it has already gone to the Karnataka High Court and may now eclipse Lakshya’s career.

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The Accusations

A case has been registered against Lakshya Sen, Chirag Sen, their father Dhirendra K Sen, their mother Nirmala D Sen, and coach Vimal Kumar for alleged birth certificate forgery. According to reports in Sportstar, they are accused of reducing their age by two years and six months to play in junior badminton tournaments.

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Evidence Presented

The complainant submitted documents obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, including an inquiry report by the Ministry of Youth Affairs. This report allegedly confirms that Dhirendra Sen, Lakshya’s father, was guilty of tampering with the ages of his children. The Karnataka High Court found these documents sufficient to continue the investigation.

The Sen Family’s Defense

The Sen family calls the allegations baseless and a conspiracy to defame them. They claim the matter was settled in 2018 when the Central Vigilance Commission accepted the birth certificates submitted by Dhirendra Sen. They further claim that Nagaraj filed the complaint out of frustration after his daughter didn’t get admission to the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in 2020.

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Legal Timeline

The case began when an FIR was registered in December 2022 following the order of the Metropolitan Magistrate. The High Court initially stayed the investigation, but in February 2024, it lifted the stay and allowed the probe to continue.

On February 19, 2025, the Karnataka High Court ruled that there was prima facie evidence to continue the investigation against all the accused. The petitioners’ lawyer didn’t argue the case despite multiple opportunities since December 2024.

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The court rejected the delay and allowed the investigation to go ahead. Justice M.G. Uma, who dismissed the petitions to quash the FIR, observed, “When prima facie materials are placed on record which constitute the offences, I do not find any reason either to stall the investigation or to quash the initiation of criminal proceedings.”

Previous History of Age Fraud

The Sen family has faced questions about age manipulation before. Reports indicate that the Badminton Association of India (BAI) suspended Chirag Sen in 2016 for age fraud. Sportstar reported that one document showed his birth year as 1998, but he played in junior tournaments with a certificate claiming 2005 as his birth year—a seven-year gap.

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Current Developments and What’s Next?

The Supreme Court has now responded to Lakshya Sen’s Special Leave Petition. This petition challenges the Karnataka High Court’s decision not to stop the investigation. The Court hasn’t halted the investigation yet. It has asked for responses from the Karnataka government and the complainant. The next court date is set for April 16.

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