FIR against two grapplers for ‘spiking’ Narsingh’s supplement

Wrestler Narsingh Yadav, dropped from the Rio-bound Olympic squad for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, raised the stakes by filing a First Information report (FIR) against two fellow grapplers, including a juvenile, 17-year-old Jitesh, who he has alleged spiked his food supplement, which resulted in the positive test.

According to the Sonepat Police Station, which has registered the FIR, a case has been registered against the named wrestlers under Sections 328 and 120B of the Indian Penal Court given the gravity of the situation.

Even as the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) continues to lend moral support to Narsingh, he upped the ante, targeting sports officials, saying “they were also involved as they were not handing over the CCTV footage” to the police.

The sections imposed by the police are in consonance with the FIR lodged by Narsingh. Section 328 is applied in cases where there is a conspiracy to “cause hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence. Whoever administers to or causes to be taken by any person any poison or any stupefying, intoxicating or unwholesome drug, or other thing with intent to cause hurt to such person, or with intent to commit or to facilitate the commission of an offence or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”

Section 120B is even more stringent as in it highlights the quantum of punishment. “Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death, 2[imprisonment for life] or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards, shall, where no express provision is made in this Code for the punishment of such a conspiracy, be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence.

“Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy other than a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable as aforesaid shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding six months, or with fine or with both.”

On Wednesday, Narshingh continued to maintain that he was innocent and that he would be going to Rio despite the fact that his replacement --- Praveen Rana -- had been announced by the WFI.

Though Narsingh himself desisted from naming the suspects, the WFI, which has continued to back him, revealed the identity. WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was quoted as saying that, “We suspect Jitesh, a 75kg Greco-Roman grappler, and Sumit, both from Chhatarsaal… one of them has admitted to spiking Narsingh’s food. I can’t say on the conspiracy and can’t say whether they did this on their own or on someone’s asking. We cannot investigate this but we support Narsingh’s demand for a CBI inquiry,” said Singh.

Meanwhile, sports minister Vijay Goel said that the government will go by international federation norms when it comes to taking a decision on Narsingh’s Rio trip. He was quoted as saying that, “If nothing is found in the food supplements then it will be considered a positive dope test. He was told not to train in Sonepat and all Olympic-bound athletes were given the option of customised training,” Goel was quoted as saying.

Goel added that, “The National Anti-Doping Agency (in Delhi) is affiliated to the World Anti-Doping Agency…we are trying to ensure that none of our athletes test positive for dope in Rio.” He, however, added that the conspiracy angle “would be investigated”.