Sushil Kumar denied bail in wrestler murder case
What's the story
The Delhi High Court has denied bail to two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar in the murder case of fellow wrestler Sagar Dhankar. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav ruled that this was a case of "a premeditated and gruesome assault resulting in death" and there is still a lot of evidence yet to be tested at trial, Bar and Bench reported. The court also noted concerns raised by the Supreme Court over Kumar's conduct before his arrest.
Rationale
'His capacity to influence trial hasn't altered': HC
The High Court said that "his capacity to influence the outcome of the trial given his standing, have not been shown to have altered in any material particular."
Justice Kaurav dismissed Kumar's bail application, saying he failed to demonstrate a genuine change in circumstances or independently justify regular bail under Section 439 CrPC/483 BNSS.
The court also stressed that the case is still pending and a lot of material is yet to be tested at trial.
Case timeline
Kumar's arrest and previous bail details
Kumar was arrested in May 2021 after an alleged assault at Chhatrasal Stadium.
Dhankar suffered fatal injuries during a late-night clash, allegedly linked to a property dispute.
Police have named Kumar as the main accused, charging him with murder and criminal conspiracy.
Earlier, he had been granted bail by the Delhi High Court, but it was later canceled by the Supreme Court over concerns about potential influence on witnesses and ensuring a fair trial.
New plea
What is the latest development?
In his new application, Kumar has contended that his bail plea can be considered afresh as all public witnesses have been examined.
This argument is opposed by both the Police and counsel representing Dhankar's family.
Advocates RS Malik, Sahil Malik, Mamta, Aditya Solanki, Vanshak Jain, Keshav Bharadwaj, Rohit Kumar Dalal and Abhishek Kumar appeared for Sushil Kumar while Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Raghuinder Verma represented the State in this case.