A Jammu court has summoned BCCI President Mithun Manhas, JKCA officials, and journalists in a criminal defamation case filed by ex-cop and cricketer Sudershan Mehta. The case alleges false press statements and misuse of authority within JKCA.
A Jammu and Kashmir court has summoned Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Mithun Manhas, top officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), and several journalists in a criminal defamation case filed by retired police officer Sudershan Mehta.
The summons were issued after the court recorded Mehta’s preliminary statement. Judicial Magistrate Sunil Kumar noted that under the proviso to Section 211 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the court cannot take cognizance of the offence without first hearing the proposed accused.
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The order stated,
“Accordingly by way of this order accused named above is directed to appear in person or through pleader and submit his/her objections/defense if any, on next date of hearing failing which this court shall take cognizance of the offence mentioned in the complaint on the basis of material placed on record by the complainant.”
As per the order, all the accused have been asked to appear either personally or through their lawyers on November 24, 2025, to present their objections or defence. The matter will be heard next on the same date.
The complaint has been filed under Sections 356 (defamation), 45 (abetment) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the complaint, Sudershan Mehta, who is a former Ranji Trophy cricketer and long-time administrator of Modern Cricket Club Jammu, has accused Mithun Manhas, Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta, and Majid Dar, members of the JKCA’s subcommittee, of exceeding their authority and violating court directions.
Mehta claims that these individuals failed to implement the Lodha Committee reforms as ordered by both the Supreme Court and the Jammu & Kashmir High Court.
The complaint mentions that Manhas, Gupta, and Dar were appointed by the BCCI in 2021 to manage JKCA’s day-to-day affairs, but allegedly “overstepped their mandate” by taking various administrative and financial decisions in violation of the court’s directions.
Initially, the complaint was filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Jammu, but was later transferred to the Sub-Judge’s Court.
It accuses the respondents of defamation, distortion of judicial orders, and abuse of their official positions in matters relating to JKCA’s internal management.
The issue gained more attention after Mehta filed a writ petition in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court challenging Mithun Manhas’ nomination as BCCI President.
However, on September 26, 2025, the High Court dismissed the petition on technical grounds of territorial jurisdiction, without giving any opinion on the merits of the case.
According to Mehta’s complaint, the very next day, members of the JKCA subcommittee released a press statement falsely claiming that the High Court had dismissed Mehta’s petition as “frivolous” and that he “had no locus standi.”
The complaint further states that this press release was published by several newspapers and online media outlets, including The Northlines, The Kashmir Horizon, Brighter Kashmir, and The Indian News Service (theins.in).
Mehta alleges that these publications carried defamatory statements against him, portraying him as a “self-proclaimed ex-cricketer” involved in “morally corrupt practices,” which severely damaged his public image and misrepresented the High Court’s actual order.
To support his claims, Mehta has attached several documents, including minutes of JKCA working committee meetings, BCCI’s 2021 press release, relevant High Court judgments, copies of the allegedly defamatory publications, and rebuttal reports carried by other media outlets such as Rising Kashmir, Daily Gadyal, and Greater Jammu.
The criminal complaint has been filed through Advocate Paras Kapahi, and the case will now be taken up for hearing on November 24, 2025, when the accused parties are expected to present their side before the court.
Case Title:
Sudershan Mehta v. Mithun Manhas and Ors.
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