Wrestling icon Sushil Kumar has filed an urgent appeal at the Delhi High Court against the rejection of his bail in the Sagar Dhankhad homicide, slated for hearing on February 20. This comes days after the lower court’s denial, intensifying the legal tussle surrounding the jailed star.
At the heart of the controversy is the 2021 stadium brawl where Sagar Dhankhad was kidnapped, transported to the site, and mercilessly hammered with heavy implements and blades. The onslaught shattered his skull, ending his life on the scene and hospitalizing two associates.
Sushil faces IPC charges for homicide, conspiracy, intimidation, and armed aggression, locked in since his arrest in May 2021. Courts have rebuffed his freedom pleas consistently, granting only interim relief for surgery in 2023.
A national treasure in sports, Sushil dazzled with a 2008 Beijing bronze in 66kg freestyle and a 2012 London silver, becoming the first Indian wrestler with successive Olympic podium finishes. As the High Court convenes, the balance between athletic heroism and criminal accountability hangs in suspense.