Calcutta HC rules in favour of Sahara

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday passed an interim order valid till August 5 in favour of the official sponsor of the Indian men’s hockey team, Sahara India, and restrained Hockey India from permitting the National team to play without the logo.

Sahara and the Indian Hockey Federation, now under suspension by the IOA, signed an agreement on July 15, 2003 accepting the former as the official sponsor. The contract runs till 2011-12 season.

The company had moved court when Hockey India refused to acknowledge it as the sponsor. The court also ruled that the contract was valid and binding regardless of who was in power.

The court also fixed July 31 as the date for the next hearing. — Special Correspondent