{image-hockey thotta padam_22042008.jpg news.oneindia.in}New Delhi, April 22: Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) secretary K. Jothikumaran resigned after a television news channel's sting operation allegedly exposed him as accepting money to include a player for the Azlan Shah Cup tournament in May.
Jothikumaran, who had helmed the post for the past 14 years, stepped down late Monday after the channel aired damaging clips of the secretary and its reporters, who disguised as businessmen, negotiating a deal to include the unknown player. It was reported that the channel had showed the secretary demanding RM40,000 (Rs500,000) to ensure the player would be selected for the national team participating in the Azlan Shah Cup. It was reported that he had received nearly RM15,000 (Rs200,000) as initial payment at a hotel in Delhi on April 10 and 11, and assured that the player would be included in the line-up for the Kuala Lumpur tournament.
According to the report, the local channel's investigative team had also approached Jothikumaran to organise a hockey tournament, similar to Azlan Shah Cup. For that, he had demanded about RM40,000 (Rs500,000) as seed money.