EFI administrator seeks Rs 25 lakh in damages, serves defamation notice on Hangzhou Asiad gold medallist Chheda

New Delhi: In a bizarre turn of events, Lt Col Sandeep Dewan, member (administration) of the ad hoc committee governing the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI), has served a defamation notice on Hangzhou Asian Games gold medallist Hriday Chheda, demanding Rs 25 lakh in damages and an unconditional apology over allegations concerning the handling of the Indian dressage team ahead of and during the recently concluded Aichi-Nagoya multisport continental event.The six-page legal notice, dated October 17 and in possession of TOI, also seeks the withdrawal and deletion of Chheda’s September 8 email to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and sports officials, in which the rider alleged that the veterinary report declaring his horse, Dono Di Maggio, unfit was engineered to clear the way for reserve Anush Agarwalla. Chheda accused Dewan of collusion, fraud and concealment, questioning the attempt to jeopardise his participation in the Asian Games.The development raises questions over the priorities of an administrator appointed to restore order in a federation long plagued by governance controversies, internal power struggles and selection disputes. Instead of addressing an athlete’s grievances, the administrator is now seeking damages from one of India’s leading riders for raising concerns about his conduct.For the record, Chheda’s horse, Dono Di Maggio, was subsequently cleared by the Games organisers to compete in Japan. The horse was the best-performing among the Indian riders in Aichi-Nagoya.After being served the notice, Chheda expressed deep anguish over the way he had been treated and wrote a strongly worded email to IOA president P T Usha."The vindictiveness, high-handedness and arrogance is apparent from the attached legal notice. The irony is appalling: an athlete who faced harassment and an attempt to prevent his participation and subsequently demonstrated through his horse’s performances that he was fit to compete, is now facing legal threats from the very person whose conduct he questioned," Chheda wrote to Usha. The email is in possession of TOI."An administration that resorts to legal threats against athletes rather than welcoming scrutiny of its own conduct has no place in sporting governance. Individuals such as Col Dewan must be held accountable for their conduct and questioned on their suitability to hold positions of responsibility in Indian sport," Chheda said."Meanwhile, athletes have received no meaningful support from the Federation and continue to bear the consequences of its failures. The multiple legal disputes concerning the Federation’s functioning, along with the reported suspension by the international governing body, FEI, have further jeopardised athletes’ careers and international participation," he added.Dewan’s notice, however, disputed the allegations, maintaining that the veterinary examination covered all Indian team horses and that the decision on a late replacement rested with the IOA, not with him individually. It stated that the September 8 email falsely accused him of fraud, collusion and concealment, thereby damaging his reputation."The impugned email has gravely harmed my client's reputation as a veteran Army officer, as a sports administrator and as Team Leader. It has exposed him to suspicion and ridicule among the very persons with whom he must work and caused him severe mental distress," Dewan's lawyer, Aroon Menon, stated in the notice issued on his client's behalf."By making and publishing the impugned email, you have committed the offence of defamation under Section 356(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, punishable under Section 356(2). My client is the person aggrieved and is entitled to file a complaint under Section 222 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Your acts also constitute the civil wrong of libel, for which my client is entitled to sue you for damages, a mandatory injunction directing retraction and a permanent injunction restraining further publication," the lawyer stated."You are therefore called upon within 7 (seven) days of receipt of this notice to: (i) Unconditionally withdraw the impugned email and every imputation in it against my client; (ii) Tender an unconditional written apology to my client, sent by email from hridaychheda98@gmail.com to every recipient of the impugned email, with a copy to the undersigned; (iii) Delete the impugned email and refrain from forwarding, circulating or repeating it or any similar imputation, in any medium, including email, messaging apps, social media and the press; (iv) Pay an amount of Rs 25,00,000 (twenty-five lakh) as compensation to my client for the harm to his reputation and the mental distress caused, and Rs 50,000 (fifty thousand) towards the costs of the present notice," the notice added.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.