A Delhi court on Friday rejected Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar’s plea for bail in the murder case linked to the death of former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar at Chhatrasal Stadium.

Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Kumar dismissed the application while hearing arguments on Kumar’s request for release. The wrestler, along with others, is accused of brutally assaulting Dhankar and his friends during a confrontation over an alleged property dispute in May 2021, which led to Dhankar’s death.

According to the post-mortem report, Dhankar suffered fatal cerebral injuries caused by the impact of a blunt object. Two of his friends also sustained injuries in the alleged assault.

Sushil Kumar was arrested in May 2021. In July 2023, a sessions court granted him interim bail for one week to undergo knee surgery.

In October 2022, the trial court framed charges against Kumar under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including murder, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation, and rioting with a deadly weapon. Charges under the Arms Act were also added.

The trial court observed that Dhankar was allegedly abducted, taken to the stadium, and brutally beaten by multiple accused using baseball and hockey sticks, leading to his death.