Arjuna awardee shooter booked on rape charge

Arjuna awardee shooter Sanjeev Rajput has been booked on rape charges following a complaint by a fellow shooter in the Capital’s Chanakyapuri police station on Sunday.

The victim, in her complaint, accused 35-year-old shooter of raping her last month on the promise of marriage. She has claimed to know the Olympian shooter for the last two years. She alleged that Rajput spiked her drink with sedatives before raping her.

The victim belong to Uttar Pradesh and as per the police “her medical examination has confirmed rape”. Going by the victim’s account, Rajput had offered her a sedative-laced soft drink after paying her a visit on the occasion of her birthday last month. She further alleged that it was only after she fell unconscious that he raped her. After the incident, Rajput refused to acknowledge the promise of marriage and even stopped answering her calls.

“He even refused to acknowledge the promise of marriage and threatened to kill her with a rifle and make it look like an accident.

Rajput was part of the Indian 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic teams. And he also got an Olympic quota for 2016 Rio in the men’s Rifle 3-Position but National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) decided to use his quota for trap shooter Kynan Chenai.

It was Sports Authority of India (SAI) which came to Doha Asian Games bronze medallist rescue at this critical point of his career and offered him a coach’s job. Rajput, who left his Indian Navy in 2014, finally joined SAI in August.