Who is Sandeep Singh, hockey star turned politician facing harassment allegations from female coach?

Former Haryana sports minister Sandeep Singh, who is one of the most prominent hockey players in India, is facing serious sexual harassment allegations by a female coach, who has now lodged an FIR against the Bhartiya Janta Party leader.

Sandeep Singh is a prominent politician in the BJP, which is the ruling party in Haryana. A female coach in the state came forward with sexual harassment and rape charges against the sportsman, saying that he demanded sexual favours from her.

After the allegations came to light in the public arena, Sandeep Singh resigned from the post of the Haryana Sports Minister and addressed the claims in public. Singh said that the allegations are an attempt to defame him and mar his reputation as a politician.

Who is Sandeep Singh?

Sandeep Singh is a hockey star turned politician, who gained prominence because of his stellar performance in the sport. Singh was the captain of the Indian hockey team and was also known as ‘Flicker Singh’ because of his stellar drag and flick technique on the field.

After a stellar career as a player in the Indian hockey team, Sandeep Singh entered politics and joined the Bhartiya Janta Party, after which he was elected as an MLA from the Pehowa constituency. Singh was later appointed as sports minister from Haryana after BJP’s win in the 2019 elections.

Sexual harassment allegations against Sandeep Singh

According to the FIR filed by the female coach, Sandeep Singh had approached her through social media and asked her to meet him. She went to his residence where he allegedly demanded sexual favours from her in the middle of a work meeting, which led to a physical tussle. She alleged that during the tussle, Singh ripped her t-shirt.

While speaking to ANI, the female athlete said, “I am also a player; think how much patience I would have to tolerate such ill behaviour of this person from February till now.” She further added that she didn’t open up about the incident earlier as she was afraid of a negative impact on the sports industry.

the Chandigarh police have registered an FIR against the Haryana Sports Minister following a complaint by a female coach accusing him of sexual harassment. A case has been registered under sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and begun an investigation into the matter.

(With inputs from agencies)

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