Delhi High Court holds Hockey India and its Secretary General guilty of contempt of court

The Delhi High Court on Monday held Hockey India and its Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh guilty of contempt of court for wilfully disobeying court order. 

Singh and Hockey India were directed in January 2025 to provide links to Syeed Asima Ali, the Vice President of Hockey India, to enable her to participate in all Executive Board Meetings that may be held.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav has now held that Singh and Hockey India failed to provide Ali with the links of meetings held on July 4 and July 27, 2025, despite clear and unqualified instructions.

“In light of the discussion above, the Court is of the opinion that the impugned action of the respondents, specifically, Mr. Bhola Nath Singh, in willfully disobeying Court orders, in the facts of the present case, undermines the majesty of the Court. It must be emphasized that Mr. Bhola Nath Singh, the General Secretary of Hockey India, is administering a National Sports Federation, an authority that functions under the aegis of, and receives funds from, the State. For such an authority, non-compliance of the orders of the Court, is no less than an administrative sin,” the Court said. 

The Bench noted that an unconditional apology was tendered by the respondents. However, it said that unlike Ganges water, such an apology cannot purify the respondents, especially Bhola Nath Singh, of his conscious, concerted, deliberate and wilful disobedience of the Court‘s directions.

The matter will be heard next on May 4 on the question of sentencing.

Ali had approached the court alleging violations of the National Sports Development Code and irregularities in Hockey India’s functioning. In the interim order last year, the Court had directed the federation to ensure her participation in board meetings, an arrangement accepted by both parties.

However, Hockey India argued that Ali ceased to be eligible after her parent body, Hockey Jammu & Kashmir, withdrew recognition of her club, thereby disqualifying her from the Executive Board. 

The Court rejected this defence, stating that its order did not make participation conditional on her continuing status and that the federation had no authority to reinterpret or dilute judicial directions.

Justice Kaurav said that Singh and other respondents cannot read into court orders conditions that do not exist. 

“The respondents‘ delusions of grandeur seem to make them believe that they are sitting in appeal, or are authorities that have powers to interpret, read in, read down, and it appears even overrule the orders passed by this Court,” the Court added. 

Senior Advocate DN Goburdhun with advocates Hemant Phalpher and Karishmit Keswani appeared for Syeed Asima Ali.

Senior Advocates Rajiv Nayar and Shyel Trehan with advocates Rohan Poddar, Raghav Anand, Nishikant Singh and Shubham Kathuri appeared for Hockey India and Bhola Nath Singh.

[Read Judgment]