The differences within Hockey India are now in the open.
In the latest development, former India captain and Executive Board member Asunta Lakra has been served a show cause notice by the Federation’s Ethics Committee on a complaint allegedly filed against her by fellow Jharkhand player Albela Rani Toppo.
This comes a day after the sports ministry, supported by HI president Dilip Tirkey, had asked the IOA to conduct an independent enquiry into Asunta’s allegations of sexual harassment of girls in Jharkhand hockey and institutional intimidation by HI secretary general Bholanth Singh.
“It is to inform you that Ms. Albela Rani Toppo has moved two applications against you addressed to the secretary general, Hockey India dt. 05-04.2026 and 09.07.2026 respectively making certain allegations against you,” the notice issued by Committee chairman Justice (Retd) Raghvendra Kumar says.
“Vide Hockey India letter dt. 10.07.2026, I have been requested to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the allegations levelled against you. The copies of both the complaints are hereby transmitted to you with the direction to file the reply/response thereof within 30th July 2026. If no reply/response is submitted from your end, it shall be deemed that you have nothing to say in your defence and the fact-finding inquiry shall accordingly proceed as per established procedure of law,” the notice added.
Asunta, on her part, has always accepted the existence of Albella’s complaints but insisted they were made under duress and inducement by those involved. Given that the ministry is already aware of the matter, the outcome of this parallel enquiry remains to be seen.
Published on Jul 17, 2026
