HC seeks police stand on wrestler Sushil's bail plea

The Delhi High Court, on Friday, sought the stand of Delhi police on the bail plea by Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar in the Chhatrasal Stadium murder case.

Justice Mukta Gupta issued notice on the plea by the wrestler, who was arrested on May 23 last year and listed the case for further hearing on March 28.

Sushil Kumar, along with others, is accused of allegedly assaulting former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar and his friends at the stadium in May 2021 over an alleged property dispute.

Dhankar later succumbed to the injuries, and according to the post-mortem report, died due to cerebral damage resulting from impact of a blunt object.

The Delhi Police has filed an FIR against the accused persons for the alleged commission of several offences under the Indian Penal Code such as murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery, rioting, among others.

In the first charge sheet which was filed by the police on August 2 last year, the police had said that the brawl at the stadium was the result of a conspiracy hatched by Kumar, who wanted to re-establish his supremacy among younger wrestlers.

The sportsman has been lodged in judicial custody since June 2, 2021.

Last year, a trial court in New Delhi had refused to grant bail to Kumar while noting his previous criminal involvement and the apprehension of threat to his life due to enmity.

The trial court had said that prima facie, he is visible in the video of the alleged incident and could be clearly seen causing severe injuries.

While seeking bail before the trial court, Kumar had asserted that police built a false case against him and presented a "guilty image" of him.

He claimed that the accusations levelled against him were to humiliate him and injure his reputation.