IOA treasurer Panday 'steps back' after rape FIR

Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, August 31

More trouble is brewing for Indian Olympic Association (IOA) treasurer Anandeshwar Panday. Under pressure after a woman handball player lodged an FIR against him alleging rape, Panday has decided to ‘step back’ from his post in IOA, though he is not resigning.

IOA acting president Anil Khanna is expected to appoint a committee headed by a retired judge to inquire into the allegations.

“Mr Panday has voluntarily decided to take a step back. He has informed me of this decision and we have decided to appoint a committee soon under a retired judge to get to the bottom of this issue,” Khanna told The Tribune on Wednesday.

Seema Sharma, who is employed with the Sashastra Seema Bal as a sepoy, has lodged an FIR alleging that Panday – who was a director with the Handball Federation of India (HFI) – had tried to rape her in his room in Lucknow.

As per the FIR lodged in Bhiwadi police station in Rajasthan – a copy of which is with The Tribune – the alleged incident happened in March this year during a training camp in Lucknow’s KD Singh Babu Stadium.

Seema alleged that she was included in the list of the campers at the behest of Panday and after she rebuffed his advances, he threatened her that he would end her career in handball.

Panday denies the allegations. “I have done no wrong here and I am very confident that I will be cleared of any wrongdoing both by the police and by IOA,” Panday said. “The reason why I have asked the IOA for this inquiry is because this controversy is being fuelled by a few powerful persons who want to ruin the IOA as well as the National Games later this year. I look forward to the inquiry report,” he added.

Not resigning

Panday insists that he has not resigned from his post. “I have not resigned from the post of treasurer. I will not attend any IOA function till the time the inquiry is on. If I am found guilty, if someone can prove any wrongdoing against me, then I will retire from administration and resign from all posts,” he said. The rape allegation is not the only source of trouble for the firebrand treasurer. Early this month, social media was abuzz after photographs surfaced showing him with scantily clad women.