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Kerala Sports Minister Threatened Me, Says Olympian Anju Bobby George

Kerala Sports Minister Threatened Me, Says Olympian Anju Bobby George
India's Anju Bobby George reacts after an attempt in the women's long jump during the athletics competitions in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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India's Anju Bobby George reacts after an attempt in the women's long jump during the athletics competitions in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Olympian Anju Bobby George has accused Kerala's Sports Minister EP Jayarajan of threatening her and other members of the Kerala Sports Council, which she heads.

George, who is the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in the World Championships in Athletics, said Jayarajan also accused her and the council of being corrupt, she said in a complaint to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, according to the News Minute.

Jayarajan recently became the butt of jokes when he declared that boxer Muhammed Ali had won many medals for Kerala.

George and other council members had assembled for the first meeting with the Sports Minister when he accused them of being opposed to the ruling party. But it gets worse. He also allegedly demanded to know why George had travelled from Bengaluru to Kerala by air -- a facility that she said has been sanctioned by the Finance Ministry.

Former Indian athlete Anju Bobby George alleges Kerala Sports minister E P Jayarajan threatened her and accused her of misuse of funds

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 9, 2016

“Have you thought we would not come to power? Now, just wait and see,” the Manorama Online quoted the minister as allegedly saying.

“It was the Achuthanandan ministry which introduced the travel expense reimbursement policy. My application was approved by Sports secretary M. Sivasankar, who has been appointed as the private secretary to the chief minister. Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, K. M. Abraham had also accorded sanction to my request. Are they all corrupt?” George is said to have asked the Minister.

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