NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formed a four-member independent inquiry committee to investigate the sexual harassment allegations made against Hockey India secretary Bhola Nath Singh by former India women’s hockey captain Asunta Lakra.The committee has been set up following a directive from the Union sports ministry. It will be headed by retired high court judge Deepa Sharma, with former track and field athlete Vandana Rao, former India women’s hockey captain Mamta Kharb, and lawyer Sitwat Nabi as members.Lakra, who is also a member of Hockey India’s Executive Board, has accused Singh of threatening and harassing her after she objected to the alleged sexual harassment of girls in Jharkhand by local coach Sudhir Golla.The IOA has directed Hockey India to bear all expenses related to the inquiry committee, including honorarium, travel, accommodation and other incidental costs.“Hockey India is also requested to extend its full cooperation to the committee and to ensure that all relevant documents, information and such other assistance as may be required is made available to the committee in a timely manner…,” IOA president PT Usha’s letter to Hockey India stated, as quoted by news agency PTI.The dispute between Lakra and Hockey India has also led to a separate inquiry by the federation’s ethics committee.Hockey India’s ethics committee issued a show-cause notice to Lakra and started an inquiry after young player Albela Rani Toppo accused the former captain of threatening and intimidating her. Toppo, who is also from Jharkhand, alleged that Lakra threatened to end her career for unspecified reasons.Lakra rejected Hockey India’s action and called it “continued intimidation and retaliation”. She appealed to sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya to intervene and stop the ethics committee inquiry against her.The sports ministry had earlier asked the IOA to set up an independent panel to investigate Lakra’s allegations of sexual harassment against the Hockey India secretary.
