Dope mess: Whistleblower doctor attacked, Sports Minister assures a meeting

The doping mess that has engulfed Indian athletics took a bloody turn on Wednesday when former medical officer at the National Institute of Sports, Dr. Sajib Nandi was allegedly beaten and abused by security guards at the training facility, forcing Sports Minister Ajay Maken to assure that he will personally meet the doctor.

Dr. Nandi was scheduled to meet Justice Mukul Mudgal, who is heading the fact finding committee looking into the recent doping scandal, inside the premises of the campus. He however, was stopped and was beaten up on demanding an entry.

"I have some documents that would aid the investigations but I was told that orders were not to let me in. I was then held by my hand and pushed away," he told the press.

Dr. Nandi has been closely linked to the athletes at the NIS in his capacity as the medical officer but was removed from the post when he revealed that substance abuse had become rampant in India's premier sports training facility.

He claims that he had raised the issue of doping in 2002 as well but the matter was hushed up by the top-authorities. "Athletes' samples were taken but were never sent to Delhi for testing," he said and added that a case of sexual harassment was also registered against him in 2005 and that he has been without salary since.

Dr. Nandi filed a report to the local police even as Maken said that he will felicitate his meeting with Justice Mudgal, after reports of the assault emerged, and that he will personally meet the former medical official on Thursday.

Whistleblower being victimised?

Dr Sajib Kumar Nandi is the former Medical officer of the National Institute of Sports in Patiala.

Nandi claims he exposed doping inside the NIS in 2002.

Says his doping expose was covered up, he's being victimised.

2005: Sexual harassment case against Dr Nandi, transfered to Bangalore.

Dr Nandi says case was fabricated; didn't join in Bangalore, has been without salary since 2005.