Sports club in Ahmedabad hit by membership fraud, US-based complainant accuses nephew and kin

A serious case of forgery and criminal conspiracy has come to light at the prestigious Sports Club of Gujarat Limited in Naranpura, Ahmedabad. A US-based man has filed a formal complaint alleging that his late father’s club membership was fraudulently misused by his extended family members for personal gain.

The complaint, filed by Yatinbhai Shah, a retired resident of Shahibaug who has been living in Girdharnagar Society since returning from the United States earlier this year, accuses his nephew Dhaval Vijaykumar Shah, Dhaval’s wife Sejalben, and their son Falak of forging documents and signatures to unlawfully obtain membership benefits.

According to Naranpura Police Station, Yatinbhai’s late father, Navinchandra Shah, held Sports Club membership no. 3676 since 1972. When Yatinbhai recently visited the club to transfer the membership to his mother’s name following his father's death in 2022, he discovered discrepancies in the club records.

Shockingly, the club's database reflected Dhaval’s photograph in place of Yatinbhai’s and Sejalben’s in place of his wife, Manitaben, on the membership linked to his father. Further inquiry revealed that Dhaval Shah had allegedly forged Yatinbhai’s signature on a form titled "for members' son/daughter only” and had fraudulently obtained membership number 4717 in 1983.

In an even more startling revelation, the complaint states that Dhaval’s son, Falak, applied for junior membership in April 2006, misrepresenting Yatinbhai Shah as his father on the birth certificate submitted to the club. It is alleged that the document bore incorrect parental information and falsified signatures, thereby securing membership no. 7569 under fabricated credentials.

The forged birth certificate was reportedly presented to the complainant by the club authorities when he requested to review the application documents. The fraudulent use of Yatinbhai’s identity and family linkages forms the basis of the criminal conspiracy now under investigation.

Naranpura Police Station is currently heading the investigation. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy.