 "Actor Rahul Bose has quite the long association with Indian rugby, as a player as well as an administrator. PTI")
Actor Rahul Bose has been involved with Indian rugby for quite some time now. From playing the sport in college, Bose would go on to captain the Indian team, featuring in tournaments such as Asian Rugby Football Union Championship. He has also served as President of Rugby India and had recently overseen the launch of the Rugby Premier League , a rugby sevens league modeled after cricket’s highly successful Indian Premier League.
Bose’s association with Indian rugby, however, has hit a roadblock, with the 58-year-old no longer in a position to lead the national federation. What’s more, his association with Rugby India appears to have concluded on a controversial note.
Rahul Bose faces legal trouble for seeking candidacy from Himachal Pradesh
Bose, after all, has been accused of getting a fake Himachal Pradesh domicile certificate in order to contest the Rugby India presidential election as a candidate from the state.
Divya Kumari, a member of the royal family of the Jubbal princely state in the Shimla district, further alleged that Bose setup a new rugby federation in Himachal solely for his own benefit, rather than developing the sport in the north Indian state.
Bose had reportedly approached the royal family in 2023, assuring them that he would help establish and obtain recognition for a state-level rugby federation. Divya, however, claims that he is yet to deliver on his promise more than two years on, and simply used the royal family’s influence to further his own interests. She also accused Bose of sidelining the existing rugby association in the state as well as those who have been promoting and developing the sport in Himachal for years.
Divya also questioned how Bose had suddenly become a resident of the state for 16 years, as claimed in the state domicile certificate, when he was born in Kolkata, brought up in Mumbai and had previously contested for Rugby India president from Maharashtra.
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View All“He used us for own benefit, misused our trust and illegally formed a body where rules are not followed. He used our name, did fraud. How did he get domicile certificate when he is not a resident? He won the previous election as Rugby president from Maharashtra then how can he be a Himachal resident. He claims that he has been living in Himachal for last 16 years, which is not true,” Divya told India Today.
“The domicile certificate is needed if one wants to be Rugby India president and could not contest from Himachal. Out question is how did he get this certificate?” she added.
‘I welcome this process wholeheartedly’
Divya has since taken the matter to the Himachal Pradesh High Court in the state capital of Shimla. Bose, meanwhile, has issued a statement clarifying that he is not running for Rugby India President from Himachal. As for the ongoing case at the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, Bose claimed to “welcome this process wholeheartedly”.
“Addressed to: Friends, colleagues, the Rugby community, and all concerned. To those of you who know me, ethics and integrity are the guiding principles of my life. Over the last 24 hours, some allegations have surfaced through media articles, on which I wish to make the following statement: To avoid further misunderstanding or misinterpretation, I would like to clarify that I am not, and will not, be seeking the Rugby India Presidency as a candidate from Himachal Pradesh,” said the Bollywood actor.
“As far as the issue of the domicile certificate is concerned, I believe it is appropriate to allow the Honourable Court to review the facts related to the matter and arrive at a decision. I welcome this process wholeheartedly. In today’s era of transparency and accountability, it is easier than ever for the truth to emerge in a timely and just manner. I remain committed to nurturing the sport and the rugby fraternity in every ethical and constructive way possible,” Bose added.