Haryana Minister Sandeep Singh accused of sexual harassment gives up sports portfolio
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, who has been booked in a sexual harassment case, on Sunday gave up his sports portfolio, saying he has taken this step on moral grounds.
The development comes a day after the case was registered against him by the Chandigarh Police on a complaint of a woman junior athletics coach from the state.
Thirty-six-year-old Singh, a former Indian hockey team captain, has also been charged with wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation.
On Saturday, the Haryana director general of police (DGP) had set up a committee after the minister lodged a complaint against the coach, claiming she had tarnished his image.
Till the committee gives its report, Singh said, he, on moral grounds, was handing over his sports portfolio to the chief minister.
It was immediately not clear whether he has relinquished his portfolio or resigning from the ministry.
The minister, who had called for an independent probe into the matter, again dismissed as baseless the accusations levelled by the coach.
An order issued by DGP P K Agrawal on Saturday stated: "Complaint has been received from Sandeep Singh, Minister of State, Sports and Youth Affairs, Haryana...".
The "allegations in this regard are also circulating on social and electronic media", the order stated, adding that "the committee shall conduct an in depth inquiry into the subject matter immediately and submit its report to this (DGP's) office at the earliest".
The Chandigarh Police has booked Sandeep Singh and registered "a case FIR dated 31.12.2022 under sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, 506 of the Indian Penal Code" at the Sector-26 police station here and and the matter is being investigated, a police spokesperson said.
The coach had on Thursday levelled the allegations of sexual harassment against Singh. She filed a police complaint a day later.
Singh, a former Olympian, has been booked under the penal code's sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (compelling her to be naked), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
