Faridabad Court rejects Anticipatory Bail plea for shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj amid POCSO Charges

Add as a preferred source on Google

A Faridabad court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of national shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj in a serious case involving allegations of sexual assault on a minor athlete.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Abhishek Phutela, presiding over the special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court, dismissed Bhardwaj's anticipatory bail application on January 23, 2026. The decision comes amid growing outrage over the incident, which has rocked India's shooting fraternity.

Bhardwaj, a former Commonwealth Youth Games gold medallist and pistol coach associated with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), stands accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old national-level female shooter. The FIR was registered on January 6 at the Women's Police Station in NIT Faridabad under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the survivor's complaint, the incident allegedly occurred at a 5-star hotel in Surajkund near Faridabad area.

The teenager claimed that Bhardwaj invited her to his room under the pretext of a "focused discussion" or training-related analysis. Once there, he reportedly offered to "crack" or relieve her back pain while she was seated, leading to inappropriate physical contact and sexual assault.

Ankush Bhardwaj remains absconded

The National Rifle Association of India swiftly suspended Bhardwaj from all coaching duties following the emergence of the allegations, with NRAI chief Kalikesh Singh Deo emphasizing the body's "zero tolerance" policy toward sexual misconduct in sports. Police sources indicated that efforts to locate and question Bhardwaj intensified after the FIR, with reports suggesting he had been untraceable for several days following the registration of the case.

The rejection of anticipatory bail is seen as a significant development, potentially paving the way for his arrest and further investigation.

Authorities have urged anyone with relevant information to come forward as the probe continues. The court is expected to monitor further proceedings closely given the gravity of the charges under the POCSO framework as Bhardwaj remains absconded for now.