The Delhi High Court has held Hockey India and its Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh guilty of contempt for willfully disobeying its directions requiring that the petitioner be allowed to participate in Executive Board meetings.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav found that despite a clear order dated January 17, 2025 directing the respondents to provide meeting links to the petitioner, the same were not furnished for meetings held on July 4 and July 27, 2025.

The Court rejected the defence that the petitioner had ceased to be eligible to attend meetings following subsequent developments, holding that the order contained no such qualification. It observed that parties cannot unilaterally interpret or limit the scope of court directions, and any modification ought to have been sought through appropriate legal proceedings.

Finding that no such application was filed and that compliance was consciously withheld, the Court held that the non-supply of meeting links amounted to willful disobedience of a judicial order.

The Court also declined to accept the apology tendered by Bhola Nath Singh, observing that it was belated and did not reflect genuine remorse. It further noted deficiencies in the affidavit and found the oral apology insufficient in the facts of the case.

Emphasising that compliance with judicial orders is fundamental to the rule of law, the Court held that the conduct of the respondents undermined the authority of the Court and warranted invocation of contempt jurisdiction.

Accordingly, the Court held the respondents guilty of contempt and listed the matter for hearing on the question of sentence on May 4, 2026, granting them liberty to purge the contempt.

Appearances: 
For the Petitioner: Mr. D.N. Goburdhun, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Hemant Phalpher and Mr. Karishmit Keswani, Advocates
For the Respondent:  Mr. Rajiv Nayyar, Sr. Adv., Ms. Shyel Trehan, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Rohan Poddar, Mr. Raghav Anand, Mr. Nishikant Singh, Mr. Shubham Kathuria, Advocates for the respondent nos. 1-3.