Sports Authority of India project officer in Tihar for assaulting schoolgirl

Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 20

In a shocking incident, a project officer employed with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been arrested for sexual assault on a schoolgirl.

This project officer allegedly committed the offence in Siri Fort sports complex, where he was giving private coaching to the girl.

The girl reported the assault to her parents and an FIR was then registered at the Hauz Khas police station the same day, April 10. The SAI official was arrested the same day and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

The FIR is registered under IPC section 354B (for criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), which carries a sentence between three to seven years, and under section 10 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment.

The Tribune posed two questions to SAI director general Sandip Pradhan: 1) What action has been taken against the accused; 2) Can an SAI employee be allowed to give private coaching?

However, Pradhan or SAI did not offer a comment.

In the FIR, a copy of which is with The Tribune, the girl describes how her coach assaulted her on the pretext of helping her to exercise before practice.

“…he also asked if I have any problem since your parents are known to me. I felt very uncomfortable and ask him to stop. I came back home and narrated the incident to my parents. Kindly take legal action,” the FIR reads.

A Delhi Police official said that the matter is under investigation. “We arrested him the same day and he was sent to judicial custody,” the official said on the condition of anonymity, adding: “The matter is under investigation and we will be filing a chargesheet soon in this case.”

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