DCW: Hockey India remarks malicious

The Delhi Commission for Women on Wednesday took a strong exception to Hockey India’s response in an alleged assault case against India captain Sardar Singh and accused the national federation of making “defamatory allegations and remarks” against it.

The DCW, which termed as “false and malicious” the purported remarks of HI linking the DCW members with Aam Admi Party, also refused the federation’s request for 10 weeks’ time to submit the details sought by the commission, and asked it to send its response within a week or face action. “The DCW takes strong exception to your response wherein defamatory allegations and remarks have been made against a statutory body invested with the powers of a civil court.

“Despite the intemperate language and your reluctance to participate/cooperate with us in meting out justice to the victim, we would like to give you further opportunity of seven days from the date of receipt of the instance communication failing which we will be constrained to take appropriate action in accordance with law,” the notice read.

In the notice, DCW chief Swati Maliwal also said that “the allegations of political jugglery and linkages with the political party ‘Aam Aadmi Party’ against the members of the commission were false and malicious,” while adding that the Commission was discharging its duties on the basis of a complaint forwarded to it by a leader of the BJP, Poonam Azad. “Your attempt to intimidate the office bearers of this commission whilst performing their legitimate statutory duties is severely unbecoming of an organization entrusted by the Government of India with the mandate of promoting the national game of Hockey in India,” the DCW said.

“As a responsible organization at a national level, you are duty bound to co-operate and provide information to this Commission,” Ms Maliwal said in the notice.

On June 15, the commission had issued a notice to HI president Narinder Batra and had sought an explanation with regard to the allegations made by the complainant against HI and the action taken or proposed to be taken by it in the matter.

HI in turn had said that that it will be able to send a comprehensive response on the matter only after the Rio Olympics get over on August 21, even as it questioned the complainant’s “belated” charges.

The complainant is a British woman hockey player of Indian origin.