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This is an archive article published on February 6, 2024
‘My awards are now govt property, don’t know what they are doing with it’: Vinesh Phogat as Delhi Police keeps her Arjuna Award
On December 22 last year, protesting against the election of a close aide of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh — charged with sexual harassment of women wrestlers — as president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Olympian Bajrang Punia had left his Padma Shri on the footpath and walked away.
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia (R), Vinesh Phogat (C) during their protest against ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. (Express File Photo)
On a usual day, the duty charter of the Station House Officer of the Kartavya Path police station comprises looking after the security arrangements of Raisina Hills, managing heavy footfall at India Gate, and regulating traffic. But for the last month and a half, there has been a new matter of concern for him: The safekeeping of awards of national heroes.
On December 22 last year, protesting against the election of a close aide of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh — charged with sexual harassment of women wrestlers — as president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Olympian Bajrang Punia had left his Padma Shri on the footpath and walked away.
A few days later, on December 30, Vinesh Phogat, after being stopped from reaching Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office, left her Arjuna Award and Khel Ratna Award on the pavement of Kartavya Path in a similar manner.
On both occasions, the awards were picked up by police personnel and seized under Section 66 (take temporary charge of unclaimed property found in any public street) of the Delhi Police Act.
Even though WFI was later suspended, the wrestlers are yet to reclaim their awards, which are lying sealed and locked in the malkhana (storage room) of the police station along with other seized case properties such as knives, liquor and drugs.
An official said they have made two separate Daily Diary (DD) entries about the recovered medals.
“We have sealed all three awards in a cover and locked them in the almirah. In malkhana, we cannot take any sort of risk and we are now taking extra care. In the past, we have seen many things getting misplaced from the malkhana of other police stations. Besides, anyone can replace them with a replica,” the official added.
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When contacted, Vinesh told The Indian Express: “I have returned my awards. Now they are the property of the government and don’t belong to me. Regarding what they are doing with the awards, I have not got any intimation or call from anyone, including Delhi police.”
As a practice, after seizing the unclaimed property, police try to establish the identity of the owner and contact them after an intimation notice. Sometimes, the owner also approaches the police and submits an application to the ACP concerned along with the ownership proof.
But this time, the case is slightly different. “We are aware that these awards belong to them (the sportspersons), so we are not looking for the owner. But, we are waiting for them to get back their awards. We are discussing with the seniors about sending an intimation in the coming days,” an official said.
Bajrang said no one has contacted him as yet. “It is not our property, it’s theirs because we took it from the government and then gave it back to the government. Now, if they (Delhi Police) are handing it back to the government or not, I have no idea. Only they know and the government should know.”
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