New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday slammed the CBI for not completing its investigation into the complaint of wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who alleged his food was spiked leading to a ban on him.
"Is it that the investigation cannot be concluded until a chemical expert from Canada being examined? Let a specific answer come. The status report and the stand of CBI be put before the court two days before the next date, that is August 20," Justice A K Chawla said.
The court was hearing Yadav's plea for direction to CBI for speedy disposal of his complaint, saying that it has been pending before the agency since 2016.
The court was informed by CBI's special public prosecutor, Anupam Sharma that an expert in Canada is required to be examined in the matter and she has been called several times but she is not appearing.
To this, the court asked, "Is she the only scientist in the world who can give an opinion on this? The investigation came to you three years ago. Why the investigation was kept pending till now. The probe is your prerogative."
The prosecutor said, "CBI is following the matter through diplomatic channels and the concerned expert is one of the most important witnesses."
Yadav's counsel Kuldeep Sehrawat argued that CBI was deliberately delaying the matter.
When the judge asked will the investigation remain pending till the expert decides to appear or it can be closed, the CBI prosecutor, on instructions from the investigating officer, said that the request has been sent to Canada and the case will remain open till she is examined.
The court had earlier issued a notice to the CBI and asked it to file its response regarding the status of the investigation and how it has pursued the matter.
Prior to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) had cleared Yadav for the 2016 Rio Olympics. He was going to represent India in the men's freestyle 74kg category.
The court had asked the CBI earlier also, that what it had been doing since Yadav made the complaint and added, "The agency should look at it from the point of view of the sportsperson who has a "short shelf-life", especially in contact sports like wrestling and boxing."
The court had said that it would not only be a personal loss, but it would also be a loss to the sports and a loss to bring glory to India.
The CBI had told the court that the agency had to question members of the CAS panel who had taken the final decision to slap the four-year ban on Yadav.
Yadav has claimed that he had made several representations to the agency to complete the probe, but nothing has happened till date.
