After evading arrest for nearly three weeks, Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar was arrested on Sunday and remanded in police custody for six days in connection with a stadium brawl that had led to the death of a wrestler.
It was an unsavoury sight as the well-built athlete, who would drape himself in the Tricolour after winning medals for the nation, had his face enveloped in towel as he was led by the Delhi Police's special cell officers.
Ironically, the denouement came for Sushil Kumar on World Wrestling Day.
The case relates to the May 4 incident at the stadium in which wrestler Sagar Rana died and two of his friends, Sonu and Amit Kumar, were injured after they were allegedly assaulted by Sushil Kumar and other wrestlers. The Delhi Police had announced a reward of Rs one lakh for information leading to the arrest of Sushil Kumar, who had since been on the run. After questioning him for around 30 minutes inside the court, the police sought his custody for 12 days for further interrogation.
During the proceedings, Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava, representing the state, told the court that Kumar's custodial interrogation was required to unearth the whole conspiracy and motive behind the crime.
"The camera at the stadium was dismantled and he took away the DDR. This has to be recovered," the prosecutor told the court while seeking Kumar's custody.
Earlier, a Delhi court had refused to grant anticipatory bail to the two-time Olympic medallist, saying he was prima facie the main conspirator and allegations against him were serious in nature. Non-bailable warrants were issued against him and six others. This came days after a lookout notice was issued against the wrestler.
Sushil Kumar is India's only world champion in wrestling and a three-time Commonwealth Games gold-winner.
