UP sprinter levels molestation charges against AFI official

She also claimed that he even threatened to drop her from the squad if she resisted.
Parents of the athlete, who has South Asian Games gold and silver medal to her name, have registered an FIR in Muzaffarnagar after their several complaints to Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee and the Sports Ministry had failed to deter the official.

Anu Kumar and his wife Nidhi, on the other hand, claimed that the athlete was blackmailing them since he barred the her brother, Arun from participating in the Games because of overage.

After winning a bronze in the 100m event, Priyanka told reporters that the charges her parents have levelled against Anu were very true.

"Not only me, he (Anu) has been sexually harassing and other athletes for the last four years. We had reported this at the Mahila Ayog. He would hold my hands and take sexual advances and if I resist he would threaten me of dire consequences," Priyanka claimed.

"There has been a case of 420 against him also. In every events he would disturb me. Not only me, he would harass my brother," she said."He and his wife have loose character. Their previous marriages have failed and it's their second marriage," she added.

Incidentally, Anu's wife Nidhi is Priyanka's rival in the 100m.Anu and Nidhi, on the other hand, said the charges were baseless.

"It's a simple case of blackmailing. I'm a technical official and she wants me to clear her from NADA and clear her brother from overage. We are being harassed. Even my old father-in-law, who has been suffering from Hepatitis, has been dragged by them. We have filed a defamation in this regard," Nidhi said.

"Because of her I could not compete in the 100m event," she added.Priyanka's parents claimed that Anu, who is also a railway official, allegedly harassed their 24-year-old daughter and threatened her of dire consequences if she disclosed the matter to anyone.

An FIR was lodged by the victim's father here yesterday, accusing Anu of harassing his daughter.

The FIR has been registered under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) / 509 (intent to insult the modesty of a woman) / 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).