Former India Hockey Captain Asunta Lakra Challenges Ethics Committee's Authority
Former India women's hockey team captain Asunta Lakra has challenged the maintainability of the ethics proceedings initiated against her by Hockey India.
Former India women's hockey team captain Asunta Lakra has challenged the maintainability of the ethics proceedings initiated against her by Hockey India, alleging procedural irregularities and questioning the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee. In a nine page preliminary reply sent to the chairman of Hockey India's Ethics Committee, Justice (Retd) Raghvendra Kumar, Lakra denied all allegations made in complaints filed by former international Albela Rani Toppo, describing them as "false, baseless, malicious, motivated and defamatory." "I deny each and every allegation, insinuation and imputation levelled against me in the said complaints, whether express or implied, as if the same were set out herein separately and traversed seriatim.
The allegations are false, baseless, malicious, motivated, defamatory and are a complete distortion of facts," she said in her reply, which is also copied to HI president and general secretary.
Last month, Lakra had been served a show cause notice by the federation's Ethics Committee on a complaint filed against her by Albela Rani Toppo, also from Jharkhand.
This development came a day after the Sports Ministry had asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to conduct an independent enquiry into Lakra's allegations of sexual harassment of girls in Jharkhand hockey and institutional inti midation by HI secretary general Bholanath Singh.
Lakra, who was asked to submit reply by August 5, 2026, clarified that her response was being filed "without prejudice" and "without submitting to the jurisdiction of the Ethics Committee", while seeking documents and disclosures before filing a detailed reply on merits.
Questioning the validity of the proceedings, Lakra argued that under Hockey India's bye-laws and Code of Ethics, the Ethics Committee could act only after a written reference from the President of Hockey India.
"Both the complaints in question are, on their own face, addressed to the Secretary General, Hockey India, and not to the President, Hockey India. Under the scheme of the Bye-Laws of Hockey India adopted on 20th June, 2026 and the Code of Ethics framed thereunder, the Ethics Committee is not a body of original or suo-motu jurisdiction. It is a body of referred jurisdiction," she said.
"Until such a written reference is made by the President, the Ethics Committee is not, and cannot be, seized of the complaint, and no inquiry can be commenced," she added.
Lakra also questioned the constitution of the Ethics Committee, stating that Hockey India's website lists only two members although it is required to be a three-member body.
"I am entitled to know the identity and composition of the body proposing to inquire into my conduct," she said, seeking details of all members, their appointments and the resolution constituting the committee.
She further contended that the notices were issued solely by the committee chairman, whereas "the Ethics Committee is a collegiate body which must act as a body and through a validly constituted quorum." Lakra also sought copies of Article 19 of Hockey India's bye-laws, the Code of Ethics of Hockey India, rules of procedure, minutes of meetings relating to the complaints, and complete copies of the complaints along with all annexures and supporting documents.
She claimed the copies supplied to her were incomplete and illegible, and that no annexures had been provided despite references to messages, photographs and statements of third parties.
"The copies of the complaints transmitted to me are incomplete and, in material parts, illegible. No annexures, enclosures or supporting documents have been furnished. A reply on merits to allegations of this nature cannot be framed without the underlying material," she said.
Seeking four weeks' time after receiving the requested documents, Lakra urged the committee not to draw any adverse inference or take any ex parte action until the disclosures were made.
She also reserved her right to challenge the proceedings before an appropriate court.
"I further reserve my right to initiate such civil and criminal proceedings against those responsible for making, procuring, publishing and circulating the false and defamatory allegations against me which have cost grave injury to my reputation built over 'a lifetime of service to Indian hockey'."
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