Sushil Kumar a globetrotter, may abscond if granted bail, police tell HC

Dhankad, a wrestler, and two others, Bhagat Singh and Jaibhagwan, were allegedly abducted and beaten by Kumar and his accomplices inside the Chhatrasal Stadium on the night of May 4, 2021.

Olympic medallist and champion wrestler Sushil Kumar is a “globetrotter” and may abscond if granted bail, the city police told the Delhi high court on Monday, while opposing his release in the Sagar Dhankad murder case.

Sushil Kumar. (Getty Archive)

Dhankad, a wrestler, and two others, Bhagat Singh and Jaibhagwan, were allegedly abducted and beaten by Kumar and his accomplices inside the Chhatrasal Stadium on the night of May 4, 2021. Dhankad succumbed to injuries, while the other two survived the assault. Kumar was arrested on May 23, 2021, on charges of murder and is currently in judicial custody.

Reiterating that Kumar is the “kingpin” in Dhankad’s murder, Delhi Police told justice Talwant Singh that being very influential and high profile, there is every likelihood that Kumar may threaten witnesses in the case.

The police, in a status report, said the victims (other injured wrestlers) were “so terrified” of Kumar and his associates that one them filed a plea before the court seeking protection, following which round-the-clock protection was provided to all victims/witnesses.

Stating that Dhankad was murdered in a “very gruesome manner and serious injuries were caused to other victims”, the police said just prior to the incident, Kumar, armed with a pistol, had beaten some of the trainee wrestlers at Chhatrasal stadium and also robbed them of their mobile phones.

Kumar, through his counsel Pradeep Rana, challenged the trial court order denying him bail. The court, while denying bail, had said “when renowned people commit such heinous offences, then its detrimental effects on the society are enormous”. Seeking dismissal of the present bail application, the police also said Kumar fled from the spot along with his associates and caused the disappearance of the evidence such as clothes, mobile phones, weapon of offence, CCTV DVR etc to “screen themselves”.

The matter will be heard next on April 21.