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Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Dutta Guru says — “Gross misconduct and disrespect to the sanctity of a sports arena.”
Bilaspur:
The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of a viral incident where officials of the South East Central Railway’s (SECR) Sports Cell allegedly celebrated a birthday party inside a boxing ring, consuming alcohol and non-vegetarian food. The matter came to light after news paper published a detailed report with photographs showing bottles and glasses inside the ring.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Dutta Guru observed that such acts show “gross misconduct and disregard for the sanctity of a sports training facility.” The Court directed SECR’s General Manager Tarun Prakash to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a sworn personal affidavit before the next hearing.
According to the report, the party was organized by Shrikant Pahadi, Sports Cell in-charge, and coach Devendra Yadav, who along with other coaches and players, cooked fish fry and chicken, and consumed liquor in the boxing ring. The viral photos triggered outrage among players, with one remarking, “The ring we worship for boxing has been turned into a bar.”
The court stated that prima facie, such behavior reflects a serious lapse of discipline. The matter will be heard again on October 31, 2025, after submission of the GM’s affidavit.