Skip to main content

Monika’s probe caught up in red tape

New Delhi, Aug 23: Possibly spurred by an investigation launched by this newspaper into the state of the Monika Devi probe instituted by sports minister M.S. Gill and handed over to former chief election commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy, an official statement on Friday released a "status report" on the state of the inquiry.With initial reports suggesting that Krishnamurthy had been given a week to come up with answers on why Monika Devi was deplaned from on the eve of the team's departure for Beijing and the deadline having lapsed two days ago, there was till late on Friday news on when the report would be submitted and what it contained.On Friday evening however, an official statement said Krishnamurthy "has begun the inquiry" and that on August 18, he had "met various officials of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as well as Sports Authority of India"The former CEC also met Monika Devi on Thursday and is scheduled to meet the Indian Weightlifting Federation on August 26, the statement said and added that Monika Devi had yet to submit her written representation."The report of the inquiry will be submitted soon after the investigations are complete," it pointed out.Krishnamurthy was appointed on August 13 by the sports minister to inquire into the issue and submit his report within a week. The weighlifter, the only one from India to qualify for the Games, was picked after a messy selection process that saw charges and counter-charges being hurled before she was finally omitted allegedly for failing a dope test. The charge was however, later withdrawn by SAI after prolonged protests and media scrutiny.Gill himself contradicted the deadline that he had mentioned for the probe."I never said that the time limit given for the inquiry to conclude is one week. It's the Press that always mis-reports," the minister said, adding, "It's highly impractical to think of a probe ending in just a week. I have seen inquiries going on for 70 years."Gill told this paper that the investigation was going on smoothly but did not mention any dates as to when it's results will be announced.The IWF, with a long history of controversies, too was indifferent. "I do not know what has been done in the past week as I have just returned from Beijing yesterday," said IWF general secretary B.R. Gulati.Asked whether the federation had any clue as to who was responsible for the situation, Gulati replied: "We cannot comment on who is the culprit behind this, as the matter is still under inquiry."A hurt and annoyed Monika had earlier, threatened not to take part in any national or international event until the officials who "wrongly accused" her of failing the test were punished. This too was a new development for Gulati, who said, "I haven't heard anything like that. So, I cannot comment."Monika was prevented from boarding the Beijing flight at the last minute on August 6 after testing positive for a banned anabolic salt. The lifter however, claimed innocence as she had cleared four dope tests in the last two months.Monika's selection too had its share of drama before she was picked ahead of Andhra weightlifter Shailaja Pujari in the trials last month. Monika had claimed then that "some people" in SAI were trying to make a case for Shailaja due to regional allegiances.However, she was cleared by SAI of any wrongdoing on August 9 only after PM Manmohan Singh sought answers, but the relief came too late for her to participate in the Olympics. (Courtesty: Asian Age)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

KCP(MC) is the proxy of security forces, say KYKL and UNLF

IMPHAL, May 30: The KYKL and the UNLF, in a joint communique to the press condemned the bomb explosion at the RIMS within the office complex of the institute`s director, Dr. Fimate, calling it an act of terrorism calculated to tarnish the image of the revolutionary movement in the state.The joint statement said, intimidating the sick and ailing is an unforgivable act of inhumanity, adding that under humanitarian norms hospitals are spared even during the most bitter wars.The two underground organisations said the pattern of these assaults by the KCP(MC) should have made it clear to everybody by now that the KCP(MC) is the masked proxy of the Indian forces with an agenda to alienate the revolutionary campaign waged by revolutionary organisations from the people.It however said this campaign by the "Indian Occupational Forces" would boomerang on it sooner than later.Explaining further, the two outlawed groups said the KCP(MC) is now holed up within the IG (AR) South headquarte...

Grasshoppers a treat, not threat: Agri Dept

State Department of Agriculture has set at rest speculations of imminent famine and other dark forebodings due to current invasion of the long-horned grasshoppers (Tettigonidae family) in Nagaland. The department has, on the other hand, suggested consuming the edible winged creatures by the population at large as a first towards biological pest management and getting rid of the grasshopper.“Many insects are consumed as delicacy in different parts of the world. They have rich nutrient value such as protein, fats minerals and vitamins,” stated a press release issued by Director of Agriculture. The department said the commonly edible insects include grasshoppers, crickets, grubs, caterpillar beetles, winged termites, wasps and bee larvae, ants, cicadas, stink bugs and aquatic insects. The nighttime hunting of hoppers by the local populace is not new either.“Similar incidences are reported in East Africa where with the introduction of street lights into towns has revolutionized the tettigo...

Govt plans to make Imphal city a green zone: CM

IMPHAL, Jun 5: The World Environment Day was observed extensively in the state by various organizations and political parties in separate ways on their own respective themes with an objective to restore a balanced ecosystem in the state. The state level observation of the day was organized jointly by the Loktak Lake Fishermen’s Welfare Society and Loktak Development Authority at Sendra tourist spot this morning with the state chief minister O Ibobi Singh as the chief guest. The chief minister announced a clear policy of the state government to save Loktak Lake by systematic clearance of the floating bio mass (Phumdis). Attending the World Environment Day and Loktak Water Festival occasion as chief guest the chief minister further noted that Loktak is the only fresh water lake surviving in the North Eastern region. And it has become one of the only means for many people in the state. So, it is the duty of everyone to maintain its beauty and not to destroy the lake by planting the floati...