2 min readNew DelhiMay 27, 2026 02:54 PM ISTAnkush Bhardwaj is accused of aggravated sexual assault of the girl he was training, as well as criminal intimidation. (File Photo)The Supreme Court Wednesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj, facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a minor girl at a Faridabad hotel.A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan dismissed his plea, which challenged the March 17 order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court denying him relief. Bhardwaj had approached the high court after a designated Pocso court in Faridabad dismissed his pre-arrest bail plea on January 22.Also Read | Who is Ankush Bhardwaj, coach accused of sexual assaultBhardwaj is accused of aggravated penetrative sexual assault of the girl he was training, as well as criminal intimidation. The incident allegedly occurred in mid-December 2025.The First Information Report (FIR) was registered on January 6 under Section 6 of the Pocso Act, which pertains to aggravated penetrative sexual assault, and Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which pertains to criminal intimidation.The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) suspended Bhardwaj in January after the Faridabad police lodged an FIR against him. © The Indian Express Pvt LtdAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogEC voter deletion isn’t citizenship denial, just legal electoral decision: Supreme Court in SIR verdict1 hour agoKarnataka CM News Live Updates: As exit buzz peaks, CM Siddaramaiah says his government’s achievements due to ‘every Kannadiga’1 hour agoDHSE Kerala +2 12th Result 2026, Results.hse.kerala.gov.in LIVE Updates: SAY exam dates, revaluation facility2 hours agoKerala +2 12th Result 2026, Dhsekerala.gov.in LIVE Updates: Over 30,000 students get A+5 hours agoRCB vs GT, IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 Highlights: Royal Challengers Bengaluru book tickets to final with 92-run win over Gujarat Titans14 hours ago