The secretary of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), K. Jothikumaran has abruptly submitted his resigned on Monday 21 April. This happened after a sting operation carried out by news channel Aaj Tak on the IHF secretary showed him accepting Rs. 2 lakh, allegedly for including a player in the Indian team for the Azlan Shah tournament next month. The following is what Union Sports Minister, MS Gill had to say on the sting operation conducted on Mr. Jothikumaran.

 

Mr Gill said that an indepth inquiry will be instigated in the shortest possible time by the appropriate authority. The Union Sports Minister further stated that Jothikumaran should instantly resign from his post. On his part, Mr Jothikumaran stated that he indeed had discussed the proposal to convene an international tournament in India. But he emphasized that he had never indulged in corrupt practices, further stating that the entire issue seemed to have been tampered in order to portray him as a corrupt official.

 

This sting on the IHF secretary was executed in the month of April in Delhi. It shows the IHF secretary talking about a hockey tournament and thereafter allegedly saying, in a (tapped) telephone conversation that a certain player had been included. The video footage also features Mr Jothikumaran accepting money and the reporter suggesting that the remaining Rs. 3 lakh could be delivered after co-coordinating with the IHF secretary’s contact man in Delhi.