Karate Case: Delhi High Court Imposes Rs.50,000 Fine on Indian Olympic Association Chief Narinder Batra

The court also took strong exception to the way Batra appointed the chairman of the IOA's Ethics Commission -- a retired Chief Justice of a High Court -- party in the case in his personal capacity.

The Delhi High Court has taken a strong view of the way the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president, Narinder Batra, tried to take a stay on a complaint filed by Karate Association of India (KAI) general secretary Ambedkar Gupta against the incumbent before the IOAs Ethics Commission.

The court also took strong exception to the way Batra appointed the chairman of the IOA’s Ethics Commission — a retired Chief Justice of a High Court — party in the case in his personal capacity.

The High Court, in its order dated April 27, directed Batra to deposit Rs.50,000 with the Court’s Legal Service Committee as “costs”. The issue dates back to June last year when Batra reportedly threatened to throw “karate out of India” after a difference of opinion surfaced between Gupta and KAI president Likha Tara.

Gupta had at the time said that Batra called him and “threatened to throw karate out of India”. The KAI general secretary then filed a complaint with the IOA’s Ethics Commission, against which Batra went to the Delhi High Court. The High Court has fixed June 1 as the date for Gupta to file a petition in the trial court.

“In light of the conduct of respondent No. 1 [Batra and his advocates] in filing the suit in its present form, which has necessitated the present petition, this is a fit case for imposition of costs upon him. Respondent No. 1 is directed to deposit costs of Rs. 50,000 with the Delhi High Court Legal Service Committee,” read the order.