Haryana’s first Olympian minister faces sexual harassment charges

Olympian-turned-politician Sandeep Singh could have least imagined  that the  start of the  New Year would be nightmarish for him. A sportswoman and a coach working under him has accused him of attempting to molest her in his illegal confinement.

The Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has refused to budge under growing political pressure to dismiss Sandeep Singh from his Council of Ministers saying that his Minister could not be held guilty till charges against him were proved.

Though the incident reportedly took place some months ago – on July 1 as per a complaint filed by the junior coach –  but it hawked media headlines as the world went merry, dining and dancing, to ring in a Happy New Year 2023. For Sandeep Singh, hero of many hockey battles, it was time to be away not only from media glare but also from public dealing as the charges levelled against him were serious.

Sandep Singh has been defending himself stoutly saying all accusations made against him “are baseless and politically motivated”. Besides, he has offered to join the investigations to get his name cleared of all allegations. He has surrendered his favorite portfolio of Sports to the Chief Minister.

A case has been registered against him by Chandigarh police  at the Sector 26 police station under Sections 354 A, 354 B, 342 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Sector 7 official residence of Sandeep Singh, where the alleged incident took place, comes under the jurisdiction of the Sector 26 police station in Chandigarh. The five-member SIT is headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Palak Goel, and four Inspectors, including  Chandigarh’s Women Police Station Inspector Usha Rani. The case was registered on Monday  on the basis of the statement made by the aggrieved junior athletic coach, now transferred to Jhajjar from Panchkula. A Special Investigation Team has been constituted to look into the allegations.

The complainant alleged that she was being threatened and pressure was being built on her through her family members and friends. “They are even trying to do my character assassination on social media. I know it is a lifelong battle. My character is my strength,” she said after the Chandigarh police went to her Panchkula residence to record her statement. She had met Haryana’s Home Minister, Anil Vij, who promised her that justice would be done in the case. She has been provided a security cover.

Sandeep Singh, who comes from Haryana’s hockey nursery at Shahabad Markanda, has been an acknowledged drag flicker of his times. He trained under Dronacharya coach Baldev Singh.

The complainant was recruited by the Haryana Sports Department as a junior coach as she had  been a national level athlete. She denied that she ever claimed herself to be an Olympian.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, Sandeep Singh won from Pehowa on BJP ticket  defeating Mandeep Singh of Congress by more than 5000 votes and was inducted  as Sports Minister by Chief Minister  Manohar Lal Khattar as a Sikh face.

Thirty-five-year-old Sandeep Singh , a  prodigious drag-flicker, had a meteoric rise as he became the youngest player to play for India in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2004. The same year, he scripted history by becoming the youngest Indian hockey player to represent the country in the Olympics at Athens.

In 2005, he was  the highest scorer in the Junior World Cup and looked destined to leave his mark in the senior World Cup that was set to be held in Germany in 2006. But on August 22, 2006, days before the tournament,  Sandeep was accidentally shot in the spine by a Railway Protection Force guard while travelling in the Kalka Shatabdi train along with teammate Rajpal Singh.

Because of the spinal injury, Sandeep not only  lost  body weight. Singh  but also missed international competitive hockey for two years.

He staged a comeback in 2008  when he secured his place back in the team for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. His absence did not lower his skill as a  lethal drag flicker. In the 2008 Azlan Shah tournament, he was the top scorer with nine penalty corner goals.  In the 2009 edition of Azlan Shah, he was chosen to lead India.  He was instrumental in India’s title triumph as he was declared Man of the tournament with six goals to his credit. India won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2009. Singh was instrumental in the victory, scoring six goals and was adjudged the player of the tournament.

Since India lost to Great Britain in an Olympic qualifier, it missed summer Olympic Games for the first time in 2008. India, however, managed to regain its place in the Olympic hockey tournament in London in 2012  where Sandeep Singh was the captain of the team. Earlier in the Olympic qualifier,  Sandeep was a prolific scorer with 16 goals to his credit, including five against France in the final.  All five goals against France were from penalty corners.

Sandeep Singh  scored more than 150 goals in over 200 international matches. He last played for India  in 2016.

The complainant has accused Sandeep of sexual harassment, wrongful confinement, stalking, and criminal intimidation. The allegations are being investigated by two Special Investigation Teams constituted by the Haryana Government and the Chandigarh Police.

Prabhjot Singh