India
oi-Deepika S
Sandeep Singh, who once led the Indian national hockey team was a penalty corner specialist which earned him the nickname “Flicker Singh”.
Chandigarh, Jan 01: Former Olympian and Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh on Sunday landed on the wrong side of the law when a junior athletics coach alleged that she had been sexually harassed by him in the past.
An FIR has been filed against the 36-year-old BJP leader on charges of sexual harassment and wrongful confinement on a complaint of a woman junior athletics coach from the state.
On the allegations levelled against Singh, the woman said, “There is a limit to how long you can tolerate something.” “He tried to create such an atmosphere that I was forced to go to him for department work as being an employee of the sports department, I am under him,” she said.
Asked if other women officials in the sports department could have faced a similar plight, the woman said, “I am being told so but this fight is mine. There are many but maybe they are scared of coming forward. But I am sure that they will come forward once this man is put behind bars.”
Singh, however, has dismissed the accusations as baseless and called for an independent probe.
“There is an attempt to spoil my image. I hope there will be a thorough investigation into the false allegations levelled against me. I hand over the responsibility of the Sports department to the CM until the report of the investigation comes out,” ANI quoted Sandeep Singh as saying.
The 36-year-old BJP leader on Sunday gave up his Sports portfolio, saying he has taken this step on “moral grounds”.
Sandeep Singh, who once led the Indian national hockey team was a penalty corner specialist which earned him the nickname “Flicker Singh”.
In 2006, a Railway Protection Force jawan accidentally shot the hockey player, while boarding the Shatabdi Express. This incident left Sandeep severely injured and significant damage to the liver, kidneys, and backbone.
However, “Flicker Singh” made a strong comeback to the national hockey team. After rehab and training following the gunshot injury, Singh emerged as leading scorer for his country in the 2008 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and was later appointed captain of Indian team.
He was honored with the Arjuna Award for his achievements in hockey, in 2010.
Sandeep retired from professional hockey in 2016. He is a DSP rank holder in Haryana Police. He made his political debut in 2019.
Singh’s life was made into a biopic, “Soorma”, in 2018. It was an inspirational story about Singh, who was paralysed after being hit by an accidental gunshot on a train in 2006 but came back stronger.
He appeared as a judge on the Indian reality television series MTV Roadies.
Sandeep Singh has been booked under sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (compelling her to be naked), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
A person who is found guilty under the sexual harassment law can be imprisoned for up to three years, with a hefty fine.
If Sandeep Singh is found guilty under all the other charges filed against him, he may have to serve 10 years of imprisonment in jail.
