While saying that the complainant Ashpal Kaur Bhogal and he were "just good friends", Sardar said the woman used his Twitter account to make a statement about their marriage during the Indian team's tour of Spain last year.
Two days after he was alleged by a UK-based woman hockey player of Indian origin of mental, sexual and physical harassment, India hockey captain Sardar Singh came out with his line of defence on Thursday, albeit a weak one.
While saying that the complainant Ashpal Kaur Bhogal and he were "just good friends", Sardar said the woman used his Twitter account to make a statement about their marriage during the Indian team's tour of Spain last year.
"The last time when I was playing in Spain, she had access to my e-mails as my friends used them earlier. Later, she took passwords from them. Some tweets were also misused which were attributed to me. She had also announced through Twitter that we will get married soon when we were playing in Spain," Sardar said in Chandigarh on Thursday, adding that they haven't met since the last one year.
However, a look at the 29-year-old's series of tweets reveals that not only did the two seem like a couple, but they also continued talking about the wedding.
This was posted from Sardar's Twitter handle on January 1, 2016: "Happy new year to all around the world frm Mr & Mrs Singh 2 b.@AshpalBhogal May U be bless wit happiness & success". The tweet carried a picture of Sardar and Bhogal together.
A tweet from Bhogal's official handle (@AshpalBhogal) on December 27, 2015 read: "When your main man flies you all the way across the world just to make that Christmas wish come true #hesgotthatmagic". Sardar retweeted the tweet.
Sardar also retweeted one from Bhogal on August 5, 2015 – which was in the middle of the Spain tour – that mentioned him as her "fiance". "@8_SardarSingh 1 year today! Can't wait to hopefully be in Rio witnessing my fiancé competing in his 2nd Olympic Games".
There are two aspects to this. If Sardar denied meeting her over the last one year, how was he still tweeting – and retweeting – about their relationship, which he denies in the first place? And, even if one were to go by his defence that she misused his Twitter account, why didn't Sardar do anything to stop that, considering what he said she tweeted when he was playing in Spain?
Clearly, going by Sardar's tweets, there seem to be more questions than answers on the controversy.
However, holding a press conference accompanied by his lawyers on Thursday, the midfielder refuted charges that he forced Bhogal to undergo abortion last year.
"No such thing happened. As far as I can recall, no such thing happened. I am learning this from you and from her," Sardar said.
He also threatened to take legal action against the woman, saying he will wait for Ludhiana police's report before taking that course.
"The allegations levelled are false. When the (police) report comes, I will see what legal action is to be taken. I have belief in myself. Whatever investigations take place, I will cooperate," he said.
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