Narinder Batra Resigns: Narinder Batra quit 3 posts simultaneously on Monday 18th July 2022. He resigned as the President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Also left the membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Delhi High Court on 25 May 2022 abolished the post of ‘life member’ in Hockey India. Due to this Narinder Batra had to step down as the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Narinder Batra contested and won the IOA election in 2017 as a life member of Hockey India. Narinder Batra has officially resigned from his posts in IOA, IOC and FIH through three separate letters. “For personal reasons, I submit my resignation as the President of FIH,” Narinder Batra wrote to AIH’s executive board.
Narinder Batra’s IOC membership was linked to his IOA presidency, but his resignation from the FIH has come as a surprise, as he said in May 2022 that he now wanted to focus on his work in the world hockey body. The Delhi High Court had refused to grant a stay on his appeal pending before the division bench. Perhaps this is the reason why Narinder Batra decided to resign. The matter is to be heard on July 26.
After being removed by the High Court, Narinder Batra had issued a statement saying that he would not participate in the upcoming elections to the IOA. However, he also said that his entire focus would now be on the management of world hockey. 65-year-old Narinder Batra became the IOA President for the first time in 2017. He was eligible to challenge for the presidency again. The IOA elections were to be held in December 2021, but due to amendments in the election process, they could not be held on time.
Narinder Batra became a member of the IOC in 2019. Later he was also made a member of the Olympic Channel Commission. Narinder Batra became the FIH President in 2016. Last year, he was elected to the post for a second term. The Delhi High Court had restrained Narinder Batra from serving as the IOA president on a contempt plea by Olympian and Hockey World Cup winning team member Aslam Sher Khan.
The Delhi High Court then appointed IOA Senior Vice President Anil Khanna as the Acting President of the IOA. There were many controversies during the tenure of Narinder Batra. IOA vice-president Sudhanshu Mittal wrote to the IOC in 2020 alleging that irregularities were committed during the election to the top post and Narinder Batra had given false information in the manifesto.
Recently Narinder Batra apologized for his social media post against former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha. Due to this post, there was a demand for him to resign from the post of IOA President. In April, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also launched a preliminary inquiry against Narinder Batra for alleged irregularities in public funds.
CBI raids premises linked to Narinder Batra
Meanwhile, the CBI raided five premises in Delhi and Jammu linked to Narinder Batra. The searches were conducted after an FIR was registered against him in the alleged corruption case, the official said. He said that the Central Investigation Agency had received a complaint against Narinder Batra. After this, the investigating agency started preliminary investigation in April this year. Which is the first step towards establishing a prima facie charge. The complaint alleged that Rs 35 lakh of Hockey India was used for Batra’s personal gain, the official said.