KOLKATA: The Ethics Committee of Hockey India has started a fact-finding inquiry into the complaints filed against former India women’s hockey captain and Executive Council member Asunta Lakra.The development comes a day after the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to constitute a neutral, fair and transparent committee to probe the allegations made by Lakra against Hockey India general secretary and Hockey Jharkhand president Bhola Nath Singh and former coach Sudhir Golla. The ministry has also sought a clarification from Hockey India.In a communication issued by Justice (Retd.) Raghvendra Kumar, chairman of the Ethics Committee of Hockey India, Lakra was informed that Jharkhand player Albela Rani Toppo had filed two complaints against her, addressed to the general secretary of Hockey India on April 5 and July 9.“Vide Hockey India’s letter dated 10.07.2026, I have been asked to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the allegations leveled against you. Copies of both the complaints are forwarded to you with instructions to submit the reply/reply within 30 July 2026,” says the letter, a copy of which is in possession of TOI.It also says that if there is no response within the stipulated period, “it will be considered that you have not said anything in your defense and the fact-finding investigation will proceed accordingly according to the established procedure and law.”Reacting to the development, Lakra said: “I am from the direction of the Ministry of Sports and put my version before the committee set up to look into the matter. But sending this notice at this stage is nothing but an attempt to intimidate me.”Earlier, the ministry had written to the president of Hockey India, Dilip Tirkey, ordering the federation to present Lakra’s complaint before its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the provisions of the Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 and asked for a report on the outcome.Following the communication, Tirkey wrote to the ministry asking for an independent inquiry into Lakra’s allegations and informed the members of the Hockey India Executive Council about the same.Hockey India vice-president Asima Ali extended her support to Lakra, saying she would closely monitor the federation’s handling of the matter.“The proper and fair implementation of the Hockey India Sports Code will be overseen by me… and in case of any unfair or unjust practice, I will include it in my ongoing petition before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court without delay. I have also extended my full support to Ms. Asunta Lakra,” Ali wrote in a social media post.Lakra alleged that Singh threatened her after she raised concerns about the alleged protection extended to Golla by Hockey Jharkhand. She also accused Golla of bullying women players after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against him. Singh and Golla have denied the allegations.