Inquiry panel submits report to HI, does not draw conclusions

Inquiry panel submits report to HI, does not draw conclusions

Hockey sex scandal

New Delhi, July 23: The inquiry panel probing the sex scandal that has rocked Indian hockey submitted its report to Hockey India today amid indications that the committee had only given a factual account and refrained from drawing any conclusions on coach M K Kaushik’s conduct. HI, on its part, will submit the report of the five-member inquiry committee to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) tomorrow.

“We have received the report from the committee. We will study and discuss the report thoroughly and accordingly give our recommendations and submit it to SAI tomorrow,” HI secretary general Narinder Batra said.

Chairman of the inquiry panel, Rajiv Mehta said the committee received testimonies from both the parties — coach M K Kaushik and complainant Ranjita Devi — and no other evidences were required for the probe. “We have had lots of testimonies from both the parties as well some other players and manager of the team Madhu Yadav and we don’t need to talk to any individual further.

We have given our report,” he said. It is learnt that the panel, comprising Rajiv Mehta (chairman), Zafar Iqbal, Ajitpal Singh, Sudarshan Pathak and Anupam Ghulati, refrained from drawing any conclusion and only presented facts in their report to HI. According to HI sources, the federation is also expected to refrain from giving any conclusion in their recommendation to SAI and will leave the entire matter on the government body as Kaushik was appointed by SAI. Indian hockey plunged into a deep crisis last Tuesday when fringe player Ranjita, in a written complaint to HI, accused chief coach Kaushik of sexually harassing her.

HI then sprung into action and formed a five-member committee to investigate the matter. Even though Kaushik tendered his resignation to HI president Vidya Stokes, which was accepted yesterday, he pleaded innocence and said the allegations were baseless and he was a victim of ‘big-time conspiracy’.

HI also sacked videographer Basavraj whose photographs with prostitutes in compromising situations during the recent Canada and China tour were also sent to the national body through an anonymous e-mail. (PTI)