Vinesh Phogat case: Meet Harish Salve who is representing Indian Olympic Association

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's case will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport at 12.30pm IST.

Updated on: Aug 9, 2024, 16:35:44 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Harish Salve, India's top lawyer, will represent the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the case related to the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat at the Paris Olympics.

Vinesh Phogat made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at an Olympics. She first defeated defending world and Olympic champion Yui Susaki from Japan, the first international loss of her career. Later, Vinesh Phogat beat Cuba's Yusneylys Guzman 5-0 in the semi-final match.

However, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after she was found 100gm overweight. She was stripped of a podium finish despite ensuring at least a silver after becoming the first Indian female wrestler to enter an Olympic final. Phogat also announced retirement from wrestling the next day.

She also moved the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against her disqualification and demanded a joint silver to be awarded. The ad hoc hearing at CAS is scheduled to start at 9:00 AM local time (12:30 PM IST), news agency ANI reported.

Harish Salve, who has served as the former Solicitor General of India and King's Counsel, confirmed to ANI that he has been engaged by the IOA to represent Phogat.

Who is Harish Salve?

Harish Salve studied LLB from Nagpur University. He was appointed senior advocate at the Delhi high court in 1992. He also served as the Solicitor General of India from November 1999 to November 2002.

Harish Salve has been part of several high-profile cases, including that of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of spying. He charged only ₹1 in legal fees for representing Kulbhushan Jadhav, and his gesture earned him a lot of praise.

Also Read | Vinesh Phogat awaits CAS decision after Paris Olympics disqualification: What is the Court of Arbitration for Sport?

Among some of his prominent clients include Tata Group, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, and ITC Group. Salve had also appeared in the Krishna Godavari Basin gas dispute case against Anil Ambani's Reliance Natural Resources Ltd.

In 2012, Salve helped Vodafone win a ₹1,1000-crore tax case against the government. He has also defended Keshub Mahindra in the Bhopal gas tragedy case, and represented the Delhi police in the case of the midnight crackdown on supporters of Baba Ramdev.

In 2015, Salve was awarded one of India’s highest awards – the Padma Bhushan. In the same year, Salve took up Salman Khan's hit-and-run case of 2002 who was earlier sentenced to five years in jail. Khan was acquitted of all charges for the 2002 hit-and-run and drunk-and-drive case following the Bombay high court's decision in December 2015.

In 2018, he appeared for the Union government in the Supreme Court over the Cauvery water dispute.

In January last year, Salve was appointed as the Queen's Counsel for the courts of Wales and England.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.