Gokhale sues chess federation

The case came up for hearing in the HC on Monday, and the MCA’s lawyer sought more time to file an affidavit as Anupama had sent the notice on Saturday. The MCA has been granted four more days to file its affidavit. Anupama, who has asked for a compensation of Rs 1,00,000 for all she had to undergo, alleges that the tournament’s chief arbiter, Avinash Awate, handed over a letter to Raghunandan “just two minutes”before the start of the championships, in a “deliberate attempt to upset her peace of mind.” When she had earlier complained to the MCA, it had in a reply said the entry into the tournament hall was not free to all, and the chief arbiter had the right to stop anyone other than the players and the officials from entering. It also stated that Raghunandan Gokhale should have approached the tournament appeals committee to reconsider the decision of the arbiter. But Anupama’s lawyer Sushma Bhende states that the appeals committee is appointed only to look into the technical problems of the tournament and not such cases.

Awate’s reason for denying Gokhale entry into the playing hall was that he was a threat to the peaceful conduct of the tournament, and the MCA letter states that Gokhale was a patent danger who could vitiate and pollute the atmosphere during the tournament.

Raghunandan Gokhale and a few other players had withdrawn after the ninth round in the all-India tournament held at Sangli in May. Theplayers’ reason for withdrawal was that the AICF registration forms that the players were supposed to sign didn’t have the rules and regulations by which they were to abide. R H Sagar, who was the arbiter at Sangli, debarred 11 players who refused to sign and withdrew in protest.