Reports: Harmanpreet Kaur relieved of DSP rank over fake degree

Indian Women's T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur has lost her Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank as her graduation certificate was found to be fake after a verification process run by the police, reports in Times of India suggest.

The Arjuna Award winner joined Punjab police as a DSP in March earlier this year, which was a reward of her superlative performances in the Women's ODI World Cup in 2017 where she scored 359 runs in nine matches, including a 171-run knock against Australia in the semi-final.

Harmanpreet had quit her Western Railway job after Punjab government offered her the DSP post. During the time of joining, the cricketer had submitted a 2011 graduation certificate from Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut. However, as the reports suggest, the police were informed by the university that the roll number on Harmanpreet's certificate does not match their records.

“The state government has written to Harmanpreet that since now her qualification can only be treated as Class XII, she can at best be retained by the Punjab police as a constable," a senior government functionary in Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s office told TOI.

A Class I level posting can be offered only to those sportspersons who are graduate.

The Punjab police, though, has decided against a legal action as Harmanpreet is one of the best women cricketers in the world and if an FIR is filed against her, she might have to lose out on various government benefits and even the Arjuna Award.

“She is a player of international repute and was given DSP rank on the basis of her achievements in the field of cricket," the government official added.