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🇮🇳 India /Crime & Justice

Delhi High Court Denies Bail to Olympic Wrestler Sushil Kumar in Murder Case

From Hindustan Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified In the courts
  • The Delhi High Court denied bail to Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar in the 2021 murder case of Sagar Dhankar.
  • Kumar, arrested in May 2021, had appealed a trial court's decision that denied him bail due to concerns about influencing witnesses.
  • The Delhi Police charge sheet alleged Kumar killed Dhankar to regain his influence among younger athletes after his own clout diminished.

The Delhi High Court has denied bail to Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar in connection with the 2021 murder of 23-year-old Sagar Dhankar at the Chhatrasal Stadium. Kumar, who won medals at the Beijing and London Olympics, was arrested in May 2021 and has been seeking release.

The likelihood of Kumar influencing witnesses could not be ruled out.

— Trial CourtThe trial court's reasoning for denying Sushil Kumar's initial bail application.

A bench presided over by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav delivered the order denying bail, with the detailed verdict pending upload. Kumar had approached the High Court challenging a trial court's February 6 order that had previously denied him bail. The trial court had expressed concerns that Kumar might influence witnesses, a possibility that could not be ruled out.

Kumar's petition argued that his bail application warranted consideration, citing that all public witnesses had already been examined. However, the Delhi Police and Dhankar's family opposed the plea, asserting that the examination of all public witnesses was not yet complete. The police's charge sheet alleges that Kumar committed the murder due to a bruised ego, stemming from discussions about his declining influence. The prosecution claims he sought to re-establish his authority among younger athletes.

Kumar killed Dhankar because his ego was bruised over the talk of his diminishing clout. He wanted to re-establish his authority among younger athletes, the charge sheet added.

— Delhi PoliceThe motive attributed to Sushil Kumar in the police charge sheet.

This is not the first time Kumar's bail plea has been rejected. In March of the previous year, the Delhi High Court had granted him bail, but the Supreme Court subsequently set aside that order in August 2025. The Supreme Court had noted the possibility of Kumar exercising a "domineering influence" over witnesses or causing delays in the trial proceedings. Kumar contended that his bail application deserved fresh consideration due to a change in circumstances.

The possibility of his exercising a “domineering influence” over witnesses or causing delays in the trial proceedings could not be ruled out.

— Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court's reasoning for setting aside a previous bail order for Sushil Kumar.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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