A national archery coach, Kuldeep Vedwan, has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment by a fast-track special Prevention of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) court. The case involved a minor woman national-level archer and took place during a youth archery championship in Sonipat in 2023. Vedwan, a resident of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, was convicted under the POCSO Act and fined Rs 15,000.
Additional Sessions Judge Narendra Singh delivered the sentence after finding Vedwan guilty on May 15. The incident, which led to the conviction, occurred at a Sports Authority of India (SAI) center in Sonipat where the victim was participating in Youth Championship trials. The victim, who was 17 at the time, reported that Vedwan made inappropriate advances towards her in a hotel room during the trials.
The victim managed to escape after a struggle and reported the incident to her family only after her selection in the Asia Cup in Singapore. Vedwan, following the accusation, apologized to the victim, expressing concerns about the impact on his career and life. The court’s decision to convict Vedwan was based on the evidence presented regarding the attempted sexual harassment during the championship.
