In a significant move, the Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a detailed response from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) regarding the steps taken to reconstitute the ad-hoc committee responsible for the governance of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). This direction comes amid ongoing legal challenges surrounding the management of the WFI.
The court’s inquiry was prompted by a petition filed by prominent wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and her husband Satyawart Kadian. The athletes are contesting the legality of the WFI’s elections held in December, which they seek to have annulled.
During the hearing, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav granted the Centre and the IOA a final two-week period to submit their responses. The judge emphasized the urgency of compliance, stating, “Needless to say, if the respondents do not file any counter affidavit within the scheduled time, the court shall continue to hear the matter.”
This legal action follows allegations of sexual harassment against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, which led to significant protests by wrestlers at Jantar Mantar last year. Despite these controversies, Sanjay Singh, a known associate of Brij Bhushan, was elected as the new WFI chief in the disputed December polls.
The wrestlers’ legal counsel, Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, highlighted ongoing issues with the WFI’s operations despite the court’s earlier order to restore the IOA’s ad-hoc committee and suspend the WFI shortly after the elections. Mehra argued that the suspended body was still unofficially functioning, selecting teams, and managing affairs against court orders.
