Jammu court issues summons to BCCI President Mithun Manhas, JKCA officials in defamation case

A court in Jammu and Kashmir has issued summons to Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Mithun Manhas, officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) and journalists in connection with a criminal defamation complaint [Sudershan Mehta v. Mithun Manhas and Ors]..After recording the preliminary statement, Judicial Magistrate Sunil Kumar observed that under the proviso to Section 211 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, cognizance cannot be taken without hearing the proposed accused. Consequently, the court directed all accused to appear in person or through counsel on November 24, 2025, to submit their objections or defence. 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."The case will be next heard on November 24, 2025..The complaint has been filed by retired cop Sudershan Mehta under Sections 356 (defamation), 45 (abetment) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)..According to the complaint, Mehta - a former Ranji Trophy player and long-time administrator of Modern Cricket Club Jammu - accused JKCA’s subcommittee members Manhas, Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta and Majid Dar of overstepping their authority and failing to implement the Lodha Committee reforms mandated by the Supreme Court and the J&K High Court. The complaint narrates that Manhas, Gupta and Dar - who were appointed in 2021 by the BCCI to manage JKCA’s day-to-day affairs - allegedly overstepped their mandate by taking administrative and financial decisions in violation of court directions.It was originally filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jammu and later transferred to the sub-judge’s court. It accuses Manhas and others of defamation, distortion of judicial orders and abuse of position by the accused in relation to the internal affairs of the JKCA..The controversy intensified after Mehta filed a writ petition challenging Manhas’ nomination as BCCI President. The J&K High Court dismissed the petition on technical grounds of territorial jurisdiction on September 26, 2025 without commenting on merits.The complaint alleges that the very next day, JKCA subcommittee members issued a press release falsely claiming that the High Court had dismissed the petition as “frivolous” and that Mehta “had no locus standi.” This press statement, the complaint says, was published by several newspapers and news portals including The Northlines, The Kashmir Horizon, Brighter Kashmir and The Indian News Service (theins.in).Mehta asserts that the publications, acting on the press release, carried defamatory content, describing him as a “self-proclaimed ex-cricketer” involved in “morally corrupt practices,” thereby tarnishing his public reputation and misrepresenting the High Court’s order..In his filing, Mehta annexed a series of documents including the JKCA working committee minutes, BCCI’s 2021 press release, High Court judgments, the allegedly defamatory publications and subsequent rebuttals carried by other outlets such as Rising Kashmir, Daily Gadyal and Greater Jammu..The complaint was filed through Advocate Paras Kapahi.