AIFF executive committee member Deepak Sharma was arrested in Goa after being accused of assaulting Khad FC players.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee member Deepak Sharma was arrested by the Goa Police on Saturday for allegedly physically assaulting two female players.
The players of Khad FC, a club based in Himachal Pradesh, had accused Sharma, the owner, of physically assaulting them and barging into their room without invitation. Khad FC competes in the second division of the Indian Women’s Football League (IWL). The players reportedly said the incident happened on the night of March 28.
However, a group of players also claimed that Sharma was innocent.
What is Deepak Sharma accused of?
Sharma, the general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Football Federation, is accused of assaulting two players while intoxicated. The players said they were “afraid for their lives.”
According to Sportstar, the complaint says: “At the end of dinner, we were boiling eggs because we didn’t eat dinner. Mr. Deepak Sharma took offense and barged into our room and slapped me (Palak) and Ritika and physically assaulted us. From the first day he was drunk.
Apart from being the owner of AIFF member Khad FC, general secretary of the Himachal Football Association, Sharma is also the vice-president of the competition committee and chairperson of the infrastructure committee of the federation.
How did the AIFF react?
The AIFF had asked Deepak Sharma to refrain from any football-related activities until the investigation into the assault case is completed. The AIFF has also formed a three-member committee to probe the incidents.
Meanwhile, in an article on Goa. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been directed to take prompt action and ensure the safety and security of our footballers. The ministry further directed the AIFF to take vigorous legal action and inform the ministry of the action taken. The safety and security of players is our top priority.
What did the Goa police say?
“Deepak Sharma, a member of the AIFF executive committee, was summoned for questioning today after receiving a formal complaint. He was arrested by the Mapusa police under various heads including causing hurt and using force against women among others,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Sandesh Chodankar told the news agency PTI on March 30.
“He will remain in custody for the night and will be produced in court on Sunday for remand,” Mapusa police station inspector Shitakant Naik said.
Goa Football Association (GFA) president Caetano Fernandes told PTI that the organization helped the victims file a complaint at the Mapusa police station.
What did the other team members say?
When Sharma was taken for medical examination by the Mapusa police, a group of players were seen crying and stopped the media from recording him on video, PTI reported. They claimed to have been associated with Sharma for the past ten years, but never saw him misbehaving.
The group claimed the allegations were first raised by team members who accompanied them.
“On Friday, one of the complainants left the apartment at 11:30 p.m. to go get something. Sharma was upset and wondered why she was going out late at night in an unfamiliar city. She got upset and started creating drama,” said one of the players while speaking to the media outside the Mapusa police station. She added that Sharma never misbehaved with the girls.
