Delhi HC appoints 3-member committee to examine paddler Manika Batra's complaint

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday appointed a three-member committee to examine the country's star paddler Manika Batra's complaint against the national sports body Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday appointed a three-member committee to examine the country's star paddler Manika Batra's complaint against the national sports body Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). Justice Rekha Palli directed the committee to submit an interim report within four weeks. The Court also clarified that the committee will be free to adopt its own procedure to examine Tennis player's complaint.

The Court has listed the matter for December 20 for further hearing. The direction came while hearing a petition filed by Manika Batra against the TTFI.

Meanwhile, the TTFI has told the Delhi High Court that it withdrew the show cause notice issued against Manika Batra. The court also directed the TTFI to inform International Table Tennis Federation about the withdrawal of show cause notice and if they received any correspondence relating to that by the international federation, the TTFI will appraise it to the appointed committee.

In the last hearing, the Delhi High Court had suggested the TTFI give clean chit to Manika Batra observing that there was no question of any misconduct on her part. The court's observation had come when it was informed that the TTFI has approached International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) regarding Manika Batra and that the ITTF is conducting a parallel enquiry against her.

The court had said that it will examine this aspect after the correspondence is placed on record. The court had also pulled up the TTFI for sending correspondence to the ITTF regarding Batra soon after the court on September 23 had put an interim stay on TTFI's rules that made it compulsory for players to attend a national camp for selection in international events.

The Court observation came while hearing the petition of Batra seeking to provide a copy of the enquiry report of the enquiry conducted pursuant to the order dated September 23. Manika Batra was represented by senior advocate Sachin Dutta and lawyer Akshay Amritanshu.

The petitioner submitted that even though the enquiry was initiated at the behest of the petitioner and principles of natural justice require the petitioner to be provided with a copy of the enquiry report, the same has not been provided. The petitioner submitted that after receiving intimation from the Enquiry Committee, the petitioner along with her advocate appeared virtually before the Enquiry Committee on October 5 and raised her grievances.

The petitioner also filed her written submissions along with documentary evidence before the Enquiry Committee on October 7, 2021. However, the petitioner has not heard from the Enquiry Committee thereafter. The Delhi High Court, on September 23, had granted 4 weeks-time to the Enquiry Committee to conclude its enquiry. The petition said that it has already lapsed on October 21, 2021, and the petitioner has not heard back from the Enquiry Committee thereafter.

On September 23, the Delhi High Court put an interim stay Table Tennis Federation of India's rules that made it compulsory for players to attend a national camp for selection in international events. Table Tennis player Manika Batra has earlier filed a plea against the TTIF's decision not to take her in the Asian championship squad.

The Court had expressed anguish with the Table Tennis Federation on framing of the rules and said what was the hurry of making these new rules. Senior Advocate Sachin Dutta, appearing for the petitioner Batra, had earlier told the Court about a past incident that how national coach Soumyadeep Roy has pressurised the petitioner to throw away a match only with a view to help one of his trainees at his private academy to qualify for the Olympics, 2020. He had also raised apprehension on the conduct of Roy. (ANI)

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