A police complaint has been filed against the secretary of the Delhi State Powerlifting Association (DSPA) for allegedly forging signatures of the association president on certificates and giving assurances of a job in the Railways on the basis of those forged documents.

According to local powerlifter Pradeep Kumar, Dhawan had offered to get him a job with the Railways in exchange for Rs 3.5 lakhs. When Pradeep could manage only Rs 1.4 lakh, Dhawan only gave him two certificates, proclaiming Kumar as the junior and senior winner at the 2006 state powerlifting championships.

Pradeep told The Indian Express that he had not participated in either of the events and that the certificates had been issued to him by Dhawan, a trainer at his gym. Dhawan denied the charges and said that the certificates had been stolen. “But we didn’t want to make it an issue because the boy’s father requested us not to make a complaint,” Dhawan said.

Delhi State Powerlifting Association chief Ramesh Nambiar, also maintained that the certificates were forged.

Manipulations

“The signatures on the certificates are not mine. It is a clear case of forgery. It is Mr Dhawan’s responsibility. I have asked him for an explanation and If it’s not satisfactory, I will be left with no option but to call the general body and expel him,” said Nambiar.

Dhawan is also under pressure from Northern Railways, his employers. A senior official admitted she had received complaints about job offers promised by Dhawan. “Since it has nothing to do with our department, I could not take up the matter with the authorities. We can only act if there is a formal complaint,” she said. But she did add that Dhawan would not be allowed to coach the Railways’ powerlifters.

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