Indian hockey defender Varun Kumar, who has been accused of rape under POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences), has pulled out of the FIH Pro League that commences in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The 28-year-old wrote a letter to Hockey India (HI) president Dilip Tirkey, also marked to secretary general Bhola Nath Singh and chief coach Craig Fulton, on Wednesday requesting ‘urgent leave’ to avail ‘legal remedies and legal rights’, adding that he will ‘not be in a position to participate in the Pro League’.
“As the matter is currently under investigation, we would not be commenting on the matter,” Bhola Nath said on Thursday.
Bengaluru police, on Monday, had registered a case against Varun on the complaint of a 21-year-old woman who had alleged that she was sexually assaulted many times over the last five years, since when she was a minor. The Olympic bronze medallist has been booked under Section 4 (2), 5 (L), 6 of the POCSO Act and IPC Section 376 (3) for raping a woman under 16 years of age and 420 (cheating).
“Through media reports I got to know that a false and frivolous case has been filed against me by a girl with whom I was in a relationship previously and the said case has culminated into an FIR in Bangalore though I have not been contacted by any police official in this regard,” Varun wrote in the letter, a copy of which is in possession of Hindustan Times.
“The aforesaid case is nothing but a calculated attempt to extort money out of me and to tarnish my reputation and image as I’m an accomplished hockey player having played for India and being an Arjuna Awardee and she knows that such a case could hamper my career and image.”
Varun was part of the 24-member Indian hockey team that was to play Spain, Netherlands, Australia and Ireland in the elite nine-team tournament in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from February 10-25. The Indian team had reached the Odisha capital on Monday but Varun has already left the team before India face Spain on Saturday.
“Varun has been granted leave and has left Bhubaneswar,” an HI official said on condition of anonymity.
Varun, who made his India debut in 2017, has played 141 internationals for India, scoring 39 goals. Apart from playing as a defender, the Olympian also doubles up as a backup drag-flicker and belongs to Mithapur village of Jalandhar district.
“This incident has taken a toll on my physical and mental health and this is a very tough time for me and my family especially because of the sensationalising of the issue by the media. Being a sports person I have always been taught to fight till the very end and therefore I request for your support in these difficult times,” wrote Varun, who is a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Punjab.
Apart from the Olympic bronze, Varun was also instrumental in helping India win the Asian Games gold in Hangzhou last year. He was also part of the Indian team that won the Asian Champions Trophy both 2018 and 2023 and also won gold at the 2017 Asia Cup. He made his senior debut after helping India win the 2016 Junior World Cup in Lucknow.
