Telangana Hockey president accuses Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh of extortion
Telangana Hockey president Saral Talwar on Saturday, November 26, made a stunning allegation against Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh. Talwar accused Singh of trying to extort ₹25 lakh from him.
The allegations state that the whopping amount was demanded for allowing the state hockey association to hold elections.
The elections for Telangana Hockey were scheduled to take place in April this year. However, according to Talwar, Bhola Nath Singh obstructed them and asked for money earlier this month in a personal meeting for the matter to proceed further.
“The elections were due in April and we were on line to conduct it, but an HI official was sabotaging that. HI said there were complaints and we gave an answer to the committee and finally, I met him (Singh) and he said that ‘If you want to get out of it, you have to pay ₹25 (lakh)," Talwar told news agency PTI.
"It was just me and him in the room. And then he said, he will give seven days time to think about it. I met him on November 3," the Telangana Hockey President added.
Bhola Nath Singh denies allegations
A three-member ad-hoc committee was formed under Hockey India's secretary general to run the daily affairs of Telangana Hockey. This committee was led by General Firoz Ansari, who is also the secretary of Chhattisgarh Hockey.
It sparked a rift between Hockey India and Telangana Hockey. Talwar went on to lodge a complaint as the committee was set up almost after three months. He said that the reasons given for the elections being delayed varied each time. The claims included non-compliance with Hockey India's constitution.
Bhola Nath Singh rubbished the allegations and termed them 'baseless'. He explained that his work has led to the development of the sport in the country.
"These allegations are completely baseless. I have never taken even 25 paisa from anyone, leave aside ₹25 lakh. I have always worked for the betterment of the sport and for the welfare and growth of Indian hockey and Indian players," Singh told PTI.
The Hockey India secretary general asserted that the formation of the ad-hoc committee was due to the failure of Telangana Hockey to stage elections. What happens next in this sordid saga will be keenly observed by sports fans of the country.