Former secretary Dr. Vijay Sinha expelled from BAI for life

In an unanimous decision, Badminton Association of India (BAI) today expelled former general secretary Dr. Vijay Sinha from its affiliated units and member organizations during its annual general meeting here.

"Dr. Sinha has been further restrained from contesting any election or hold any post or office related to badminton in the country," BAI said in a release.

Dr. Sinha, who was removed from the post of honorary general secretary last January during its executive committee meeting at Bangalore, was found guilty of serious charges of sexual harassment, misappropriation, fraud, nepotism, embezzlement and fraud by an independent judicial committee, BAI said.

"An FIR has been lodged with Lucknow Police based on the advice of the independent body's findings," the release said.

The BAI said Anup Narang, who was authorised to act as the Honorary General Secretary in January, will take over the post on a full-term basis.

"Upon the vacancy being created, the AGM by unanimous vote resolved to fill in the vacancy of the post of honorary general secretary for the remaining term by electing Mr. Anup Narang, the officiating honorary secretary as the full fledged honorary general secretary of the association," the release said.

"The house also unanimously passed all the resolutions that were proposed by the executive committee of the association in its meeting held at Bengaluru earlier this year."

After being expelled from the post of general secretary in January, Dr Sinha had said in a letter that he was "wrongly expelled from the BAI on the behest of the BAI chief Dr.Akhilesh Das Gupta."

In the letter, Sinha had termed the inquiry as "unlawful and unauthorised" and alleged that the members of the committee were Dr Das Gupta's employees.

Dr Sinha had further made many scathing allegations against Dr Das Gupta, including accusations of unrestricted access to BAI funds for personal gains, sending his daughter Sona Das posing as a player for training to Japan.

Interestingly, BAI came under the scanner of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently after it was found that seven wards of BAI President and office-bearers of its Delhi unit were part of a 23-member contingent that took part in the Youth Sports Exchange Programme in Japan in 2014.

Dr Das Gupta had then clarified that "No players were sent by the BAI and the players were sent by the Delhi Capital Badminton Association and his daughter, who was part of the contingent, had won a bronze in the National School Level championship and was eligible for the programme."

Following the reports, the Sports Ministry had decided to introduce a former sportsperson as Government Observer to monitor the selection of national badminton team.

Meanwhile, during its AGM, the BAI also decided to elaborate and expand events like Badminton Star Night, Shuttle Time India, Coach The Coaches programme to all parts of the country.

"In addition many other decisions like conducting the domestic badminton league for Indian shuttlers only and Asian Badminton League in association with Badminton Asia Confederation and Badminton World Federation were also taken," the release added.