Asunta Lakra calls Hockey India show-cause notice ‘retaliation’, asks sports minister to intervene
Development comes day after Sports Ministry asks Indian Olympic Association to form panel to probe Asunta’s allegations of sexual harassment, institutional intimidation
The tiff between Hockey India (HI) secretary general Bhola Nath Singh and former captain Asunta Lakra has taken an ugly turn.
The chairman of HI’s ethics committee, Justice (retd) Raghvendra Kumar, has issued a show cause notice to Asunta on a complaint filed against her by hockey player Albela Rani Toppo. Now the former skipper and selector has pleaded with the sports minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya to intervene for “continued intimidation and retaliation by Hockey India”.
This development comes a day after the Sports Ministry asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an independent panel to probe Asunta’s allegations of sexual harassment and institutional intimidation. She had also claimed that Singh had threatened her with consequences for raising the issue of sexual harassment of girls in Jharkhand at the hands of a coach, Sudhir Golla.
“It is to inform you that Ms. Albella Rani Toppo has moved two applications against you addressed to the secretary general, Hockey India, New Delhi dt. 05-04.2026 and 09.07.2026 respectively making certain allegations against you,” Justice Kumar says in the show cause notice.
“Vide Hockey India letter dt. 10.07.2026, I have been requested to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the allegations levelled against you. The copies of both the complaints are hereby transmitted to you with the direction to file the reply/response thereof within 30th July 2026. If no reply/response is submitted from your end within the aforesaid period, it shall be deemed that you have nothing to say in your defence and the fact-finding inquiry shall accordingly proceed as per established procedure of law,” the letter added.
Lakra has always been open about Toppo’s complaint, which she states came about after she had a falling out with Singh over the sexual harassment case in Jharkhand. Toppo has alleged that Lakra had threatened to end her career with the Railways and said she would never be selected for the senior national team camp.
In her letter, Asunta has urged the sports minister to stop this ethics committee inquiry as it has been initiated to intimidate her. “Sir, intimidation of athletes – particularly women athletes who find the courage to raise their voices against harassment – must end. If athletes fear retaliation, many will remain silent, and the very purpose of safeguarding mechanisms will fail,” Asunta wrote in her letter to the minister.
“The Indian Olympic Association is seized of this matter and will conduct an impartial inquiry. I respectfully submit that all allegations, whether raised by me or against me, should be examined within that independent forum so that justice can be served without fear or influence. I humbly request your urgent intervention to ensure that no parallel process is used to intimidate or disadvantage me while the independent inquiry is underway,” she added.
‘Not on the same page’
Justice (retd) Kumar’s letter further makes it clear that the secretary general and president, and former India captain Dilip Tirkey are not on the same page when dealing with such issues.
The sports ministry asked for an independent panel after Tirkey sought a probe, saying it would be inappropriate for the body to look into the matters as both the individuals – Lakra and Singh – were executive board members of the hockey body.
“Since both the complainant and the respondent are members of the Hockey India Executive Board, it would not be appropriate for Hockey India to conduct the inquiry through its own ICC, as this may give rise to concerns regarding impartiality,” Tirkey said in his letter to HI EC members on Thursday.
“Accordingly, I have requested the secretary, Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of India, to constitute an independent committee to inquire into the matter. Hockey India will extend its full cooperation to the committee and remain committed to ensuring a fair, transparent and impartial process. I request all Executive Board members to maintain strict confidentiality and refrain from any action or communication that may influence the inquiry,” he added.
