New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has refused to interfere with the suspension of a member of the Indian Golf Union (IGU) who had allegedly unlawfully entered the Olympic Village in Paris and attended the opening ceremony with the Indian contingent by posing as a ‘caddy’ of one of the golfers.
A bench headed by Justice Yashwant Varma dismissed the appeal by senior governing council member Sundeep Verma against an order of the single judge which refused to grant him relief in the matter.
Varma, who was suspended by the IGU on August 30 pending an inquiry against him, allegedly unlawfully entered the Olympic Village and attended the opening ceremony with the Indian contingent.
He has denied all allegations against him.
“We are of the considered opinion that bearing in mind the larger ramifications which arose and the alleged action of the petitioner having the potential to jeopardise the participation of the nation itself, no interference was warranted,” the bench, also comprising Justice Ravinder Dudeja, said while upholding the single judge’s decision.
“The appeal fails and shall stand dismissed,” the bench said.
The appellant official argued that the allegations against him were baseless and the IGU had no authority to suspend him.
The court noted that the single judge refused to interfere with the suspension as it was “solely in the interim” and at this stage, the action has to be viewed as “evaluating” whether the appellant was liable to be removed.
In the order, the court also observed that a provision in the memorandum of association of IGU enabled it to take disciplinary action against coaches, managers and other personnel representing India or the IGU in sports events.
“The disciplinary action thus appears to have been initiated and founded on the aforesaid Article bearing in mind the fact that the appellant/ petitioner had held himself out to be a ‘caddy’ of one of the golfers forming part of the contingent,” it said. PTI ADS RT
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