Arrested for rape, Asiad gold medallist Pinki presented in court

Asian Games gold medal-winning athlete Pinki Pramanik, first detained and subsequently arrested on charges of "rape" after being accused of being a man, was presented in a West Bengal court on Friday by the police seeking an order for a gender determination test in a government hospital.

“Pramanik was formally arrested on charges of rape and assault late Thursday night. She is being produced before a court Friday. After her refusal Thursday we again will press for a gender determination test,” Commissioner of Police Bidhannagar (North 24 Parganas) told IANS.

Pramanik was arrested after the athlete’s live-in partner, a divorcee and a mother of one, lodged a police complaint accusing Pramanik of being a man who has been repeatedly raping and torturing her.

Following the complaint, Pramanik was taken to a private nursing home for a medical check-up where the test reports showed that the athlete was indeed a male.

"The reports conducted by us show that Pramanik is a male," said Subrata Mukherjee of Uma Nursing Home where the test was conducted.

On a court’s order when Pramanik was taken for a test to a government hospital, she refused to undergo the check-up saying it was a conspiracy.

Pramanik won gold in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha (Qatar). She was a silver medallist at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games the same year

Now a ticket collector with the Eastern Railway, the athlete retired from athletics three years ago.