Arjuna awardee Prasanta Karmakar moves Delhi High Court to challenge his 3-year suspension

Prasanta Karmakar, an Arjuna awardee and renowned para-swimmer, has moved the Delhi High Court challenging his 3-year-suspension under disciplinary proceedings conducted against him with immediate effect. The plea filed through advocates Amit Kumar Sharma and Satyam Singh seeks to quash his three years suspension order dated February 7, 2018. 

Arjuna Awardee swimmer moves to Delhi High Court

The petition filed by Prasanta Karmakar also sought a grant of compensation to him for being illegally, capriciously, and arbitrarily banned from participating in swimming competitions for three years by respondent PCI in violation of his fundamental right enshrined under Article 19 (1) (g). According to the plea, the Respondent issued Show Cause Notice to the petitioner on the pretext of false and baseless charges of recording video of female swimmers during the National Para-Swimming Championship held at Jaipur from March 31 to April 3. 2017. Karmakar was called by a vide letter dated August 16, 2017, to explain his position on the complaints and allegations wherein he, vide his reply dated August 28, 2017, and also on October 2, 2017, denied the allegations. He further demanded the copy of documents from the disciplinary committee of PCI. 

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The disciplinary committee of PCI did not pay attention to his repeated requests to provide him the copy of documents relied upon by them. Prasanta Karmakar's advocate in the petition said the disciplinary committee did not practice the principles of natural justice and fair play. The plea read, "In the most shocking, obnoxious, arbitrary, unreasonable and capricious manner, the Disciplinary Committee of PCI suspended the petitioner from participation and his being sponsored in any Sports events by PCI for three years with effect from January 20, 2018, and recommended his employer Haryana Sports department to take disciplinary action against him."

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Who is Prasanta Karmakar?

Prasanta Karmakar is an Arjuna awardee and the Indian Commonwealth and Asian Games Medalist Swimmer. He is also known to be one of the fastest Para-swimmers in India and a winner at the World Championships, World Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. Karmakar represented India as a swimming team coach for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Swimming Games and has also been the National Champion in his specific category for over 16 years consecutively. The athlete has achieved many State and National level records. 

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The advocates Amit Kumar Sharma and Satyam Singh said, "That the petitioner humbly seeks the intervention of this court in the present matter, as he has been arbitrarily and capriciously suspended by the PCI from participation and his being sponsored in any Sports events by PCI for 3 years. The petitioner is one of the most decorated athletes of India has brought many laurels for the country. The arbitrary and illegal suspension of the petitioner is violative of fundamental right enshrined under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India."

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(With inputs from ANI)