The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to state the steps taken by it pursuant to its order on the reconstitution of the ad-hoc committee to run the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The court passed the direction on the petition by celebrated wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian seeking to set aside and declare as illegal the elections held to elect the office bearers of the federation held in December.
The court also granted a final opportunity to the Centre as well as the IOA to file its response to the petition by the wrestlers, who were at the forefront of last year’s protest at the Jantar Mantar demanding outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s arrest for alleged sexual harassment of seven women grapplers.
Sanjay Singh, a Brij Bhushan loyalist, was elected the new WFI chief in the polls held on December 21, 2023.
“The court as last indulgence grants them (Centre and IOA) two weeks’ time to place on record their affidavits /counter affidavits. Needles to state if said the respondents don’t file any counter affidavit within the time schedule, the court shall continue to hear the matter,” said Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav.
“Respondent no 3 (IOA) is further directed to place on record the necessary steps which have been taken pursuant to judgement passed on August 16,” the judge said.
While deciding an application by the petitioners for interim relief in the case, the high court had on August 16 restored the IOA’s ad hoc committee for the WFI and said the IOA’s decision to dissolve the ad hoc committee was incompatible with the Union Sports Ministry’s order suspending the WFI shortly after the December elections.
Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the wrestlers, argued on Thursday that in spite of the court’s order, the suspended body was still functioning and running the affairs, and urged the court to pass a direction to the authorities to comply with the earlier order.
Justice Kaurav asked Mehra to file an application for contempt of court if there is any non-compliance and directed that the matter be listed for hearing after three weeks.
The IOA’s counsel said the matter was under consultation and sought time to file its response.
“The President of WFI continues despite the Union saying you can’t continue; (he) continues to control the affairs, continues to select teams, continues to do everything despite two orders — one of the Union and one of this court that you can’t do it,” Mehra submitted.
As the senior counsel submitted that Sanjay Singh was the “close aide” of the former WFI chief who is facing sexual harassment allegations from certain female wrestlers, the court asked him to not make “personal allegations” against a person unless he is a party in the case.
“If you are making allegations against an individual, you have to make the allegations in his presence,” the court said.
Stating that reply has not been filed by the authorities in the matter since the petition was first heard in February, Mehra also raised objections against the “dilatory” tactics being adopted by the authorities in the matter.
“This is going on for nine months. I dare say because of this we lost a gold medal. I will show how..Nothing has been filed by the Union and IOA. WFI filed last night,” he said.
The Central government counsel, Anil Soni, sought time to file the response.
The Centre suspended the WFI on December 24, 2023 three days after it elected the new office bearers for allegedly not following the provisions of its own constitution while taking decisions and requested the IOA to constitute an ad hoc committee to manage and control its affairs.
In February, the UWW lifted the suspension, leading to the IOA also dissolving its ad hoc committee on March 18.
On August 16, the high court ruled that until the suspension order of the Centre is not recalled, it is necessary for the ad hoc committee to manage the federation’s affairs.
