After CBI, now ED files closure report against Narinder Batra

In a big relief for former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra, a special judge has accepted the Enforcement Directorate’s closure report in the corruption case against him. The CBI had registered an FIR in July 2022 against Batra and a few others, including Hockey India’s executive director RK Srivastava, former president Rajinder Singh and former secretary Mohd Mushtaque, for committing illegalities for renovation and furnishing of the IOA president’s office in 2018.

“It is further submitted that the aforesaid facts disclose that the allegation as alleged in the FIR could not be substantiated/proved against Shri Narinder Dhruv Batra, Cdr. R. K. Srivastava, Sh. Rajinder Singh, Sh. Md. Mushtaque Ahmad so the final report is being filed in the instant case before this Hon’ble Court,” Special Judge Mukesh Kumar said in his order. “However, Self Contained Note (SCN) is being sent to Hockey India highlighting the breaches and negligence in not issuing the work orders in the name of IOA and getting the work of IOA done from the work orders issued in the name of new office of Hockey India at Mathura Road, New Delhi,” the order added.

Early last month, the CBI had too filed its closure report after concluding that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case.

The matter was related to the renovation worth Rs 36.19 lakh at Batra’s office on the second floor of IOA Bhawan. Former treasurer Anandeshwar Panday had alleged that a few invoices indicated that the money may have come from Hockey India, while the IOA’s books had no entry of the transaction.

The allegations had forced Batra to resign from his posts of the IOA president, an IOC member and the chief of the International Hockey Federation.