India's Sports Minister Anurag Thakur confirmed that the ministry have already finalised the members of the oversight committee, which will be announced later on Sunday, January 22.
The Ministry of Sports, on Saturday, communicated to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Saturday (January 21) that in view of the Government's decision to appoint an Oversight Committee to investigate the various allegations raised by athletes against the Federation, WFI will suspend all ongoing activities with immediate effect, unless the Oversight Committee is formally appointed and takes over the day to day functioning of WFI.
Opening up on the same during a visit to Swami Vivekanada's home in Kolkata, Thakur said, "Ministry has already finalised the oversight committee. It will be announced later today. As well we have already taken major steps like suspending Vinod Tomar as well we are conducting steps. We already had a talk with IOA. There is a very good atmosphere in sports in India in leadership of PM Narendra Modi. And we will not allow it to ruin it."
In lieu of their decision to form an oversight committee for the WFI, the ministry has also suspended Assistant Secretary of WFI, Vinod Tomar with immediate effect, to ensure the proper functioning of the WFI.
Earlier in the day, the WFI had rejected all the allegations, including that of sexual harassment against its president, and claimed that the wrestlers' protest was motivated by a "hidden agenda to dislodge the current management".
The WFI denied all the charges in its response to the government's notice and asserted that "there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement " in the federation.
The ministry had sought an explanation from WFI after the country's top wrestlers sat on a dharna and alleged that the federation chief sexually harassed women wrestlers and acts like a "dictator".
Before the wrestlers agreed to end their protest, the Indian Olympic Association had on Friday formed a seven-member committee of its own, headed by MC Mary Kom, to investigate the charges against Sharan.
The IOA panel was constituted even as the wrestlers' sit-in protest entered the third day.
