Delhi High Court Grants Bail to Wrestler Sushil Kumar in Murder Case

Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar has been granted bail by the Delhi High Court in a case related to the murder of junior wrestler Sagar Dhankar. His release was approved after submitting a personal bond of ₹50,000 along with two sureties of the same amount.

The bail was sanctioned by a bench led by Justice Sanjiv Narula. Kumar, a key accused in the 2021 murder of 23-year-old Sagar Dhankar, was charged with multiple offenses, including murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, and criminal conspiracy. The charges stem from an altercation on May 4, 2021, when Dhankar was fatally assaulted at Chhatrasal Stadium, allegedly by Kumar and his associates over a property dispute.

Background of the Case

The Delhi Police, in a detailed 170-page chargesheet, named Kumar as the primary suspect. Authorities claimed that tensions escalated due to Dhankar’s refusal to vacate a property owned by Kumar in Model Town, leading to the violent confrontation. The police stated that Dhankar suffered severe brain injuries from blunt force trauma, which ultimately led to his death.

Following the incident, Kumar evaded law enforcement for over two weeks before being arrested in Delhi’s Mundka area. Since June 2, 2021, he had been in judicial custody.

Previous Bail Grants

Kumar had been granted temporary bail on humanitarian and medical grounds in the past. In March 2023, he was released for four days to perform his father’s last rites after furnishing a ₹1 lakh bond with two sureties. Later, in July 2023, he was again granted interim bail for a knee surgery and was released for a week before surrendering back at Tihar Jail in August 2023.

The recent bail decision by the Delhi High Court marks a significant development in this high-profile case, which has drawn national attention due to Kumar’s status as a decorated athlete with Olympic accolades.