New Delhi: K Jothikumaran, the secretary general of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), resigned on Monday after a sting operation by a television news channel showed him allegedly taking bribes to select a player for the Indian team.
Jothikumaran, who was secretary general for almost 15 years, called up IHF president K P S Gill and told him that he had resigned from his post after Headlines Today beamed its sting operation.
The channel claimed that Jothikumaran, after receiving Rs 2 lakh in cash and making a deal for another Rs 3 lakh, had promised that he would get a player selected for the Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament next month.
The channel claimed Jothikumaran received the bribe in a five star hotel in Delhi in two installments on April 10 and April 11.
Jothikumaran, while talking to PTI, rejected the channel’s allegation of corruption and said he accepted the money thinking that it was for a proposal to conduct a tournament.
"I was genuinely under the impression that a proposal for conducting a big tournament on the lines of Azlan Shah tournament was being debated with me by the reporters. At no point of time did I raise anything about selection," said Jothikumaran.
"The money they allege that I had taken was in my opinion to meet the initial expenses for organising the event in India on the same lines of Azlan shah tournament."
Gill called the incident “shameful” and said Jothikumaran was not involved in selecting the team for the Azlan Shah tournament. "It is shameful and I have no words to condemn such an act," he said.
“Jothikumaran talked to me over phone and informed me that he has resigned from the post of IHF and will not be associated with the federation until his name is cleared from the alleged incident," said Gill.
Sports Minister M S Gill demanded an immediate probe. "I have just seen the video on Jothikumaran. While a detailed inquiry must be held in the shortest possible time by appropriate authority, I am of the firm view that Jothikumaran must immediately resign from his office," he said.
Former Olympian Dhanraj Pillay was furious and alleged Jothikumaran had pushed Adam Sinclair into the 2004 Athens Olympic team using his clout.
"I can tell you that this boy did not know how to hit the ball but Jothikumaran got him in and the then coach Gerard Rach tutored him thrice a day to teach him the basics," he said.
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