New Delhi, July 22
Former Indian captain Pargat Singh, who is vieing for the post of president of Hockey India, said here today that he did not believe that women’s team coach Maharaj Krishan Kaushik could have been involved in sexual harassment. “I know Kaushik. He’s a good person. I don’t believe that he could have indulged in sexual harassment of a player of the senior team. He might have used harsh words while coaching, but nothing more than that,” said Pargat, defending Kaushik.
Meanwhile, Kaushik today made a written submission of his defence to the five-member panel constituted by Hockey India to probe the incident. The woman player is also learnt to have submitted her charges in writing to the panel. The panel will take up the written submissions of both parties at its meeting tomorrow before arriving at a decision.
A source said their brief was to find out whether there was any substance and truth in the allegation against Kaushik. Some of the girls ganged up against Kaushik, as he had objected to their “intimate friendship” in hostel rooms, which tantamounted to indiscipline.
Moreover, the alleged incident was supposed to have happened nearly seven months back, and she chose to make an issue of it now, only after she being dropped from the team, the source wondered.
