The Delhi High Court on Thursday denied bail to Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar in connection with the 2021 murder case of 23-year-old wrestler Sagar Dhankar at Chhatrasal Stadium in the national capital. Kumar, one of India’s most successful wrestlers with Olympic medals from the Beijing and London Games, has been in custody since his arrest in May 2021. A bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav passed the order rejecting Kumar’s bail plea. The detailed judgment is yet to be uploaded by the court. The decision came after Kumar challenged a trial court order dated February 6, which had refused to grant him bail in the murder case.

Kumar had approached the high court arguing that his continued custody was not necessary as several witnesses had already been examined during the trial. His legal team contended that the completion of examination of public witnesses reduced the possibility of any interference with the proceedings. However, the Delhi Police and the family of the deceased opposed the bail plea. They argued that the examination of all public witnesses had not yet been completed and raised concerns about the possibility of Kumar influencing witnesses if released.

The trial court had earlier observed that the possibility of such influence could not be ruled out. The case relates to the alleged assault on Sagar Dhankar and two other wrestlers at the Chhatrasal Stadium parking area in May 2021. Dhankar later died from his injuries, leading to a murder investigation against Kumar and several others. The incident had drawn significant attention due to Kumar’s status as a celebrated athlete and his achievements representing India internationally. Kumar was arrested by Delhi Police in May 2021 after remaining on the run for several days following the incident.

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The police investigation later led to the filing of a charge sheet accusing Kumar of being involved in the attack. According to the Delhi Police charge sheet, the alleged motive behind the crime was linked to Kumar’s concerns over his influence and reputation within the wrestling community. Police claimed that Kumar felt his dominance among younger athletes was declining and allegedly wanted to re-establish his authority. The allegations are part of the prosecution’s case and will be examined during the trial. The Delhi High Court had earlier granted bail to Kumar in March 2025, but that order was subsequently set aside by the Supreme Court in August 2025.

The apex court’s intervention had resulted in Kumar continuing to remain in custody while proceedings in the case moved forward. Sushil Kumar has denied the allegations against him and maintained his innocence. The trial in the case is ongoing, with the court examining evidence and statements presented by both the prosecution and defence. The latest order means Kumar will continue to remain in judicial custody until any further legal relief is granted. The detailed reasoning behind the Delhi High Court’s decision will become clear once the full order is made available.

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