THE Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) secured an interim relief after the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court admitted its petition objecting to Collector and Additional Divisional Commissioner’s order of taking custody of the ground, on Wednesday. The HighCourthas listed the matter for further hearing on August 27, 2026. Till then,civic administration has been asked to file its reply. Justice Nandesh Deshpande issued thenoticesafter theassociation approached the court seeking justice. The Tehsildar was scheduled to takepossessionof the ground on Thursday,August 13. However,the coerciveaction nowhas been postponed for two weeks. AdvShantanu Khedkar and AdvAnurag Mankar appeared for VHA. It could be termed as ahuge relief for Krishna Joshi who is single-handedly fighting for VHA’s existence in courtand with Hockey Maharashtraand Hockey India for the past few years. Joshi has been appointed as co-ordinator by VHA Administrator Triloki Nath Sidhra, after thelatter shifted to Punjab acouple of years ago.

 

On August 10, Additional Divisional Commissioner Tushar Mathkar had refused to givestay to the District Collector’s order on taking custody of VHA ground. According to Joshi, the civic administrationpassedtheorder without hearing his side which forced him to move court. The District Collector, in his July17order,hadaskedTehsildar to take custody of the ground after its lease, which was till 2037, was cancelled. The office of NayabTehsildar of Nazul Department had then sent anotice addressing toVHA Secretaryregarding taking control of the 3.8 acres of hockey field. Interestingly,there is no officialbodyofVHAsinceTriloki Nath Sidhrawas appointed as the Administrator of the associationin 2019onaHighCourt’s order to Deputy Charity Commissioner’s office. As per the July 17 order, VHA had ceased to satisfy the conditions needed to continue the ground’s lease. Itcameafteranadversereport submitted by the DSO which flaggedlackof facilities forplayersandholdingof tournaments. Joshi termed all allegations as false and baseless.