MUMBAI, June 22 -- Sharif Bapu, president of the Mixed Martial Arts India (MMAI), offered to step down from his post after an episode of alleged sexual harassment meted out by him to a woman athlete unfolded before the Bombay high court, during the course of hearing a petition on Wednesday. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against him on Thursday. The alleged harassment was brought to the notice of the bench of justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice Dr Neela Gokhale during hearing on a petition filed by Bapu's association, challenging recognition by the Indian Olympic Association of its rival, Mixed Martial Arts Sports Federation of India (MMASFI), as an official Indian body representing mixed martial arts (MMA). On Wednesday, when the petition came up for hearing, MMASFI, along with its reply to the petition, submitted screenshots of Instagram messages sent by Bapu to a woman athlete. "The said messages are inundated with sexual innuendos. A plain reading of the messages demonstrate sexual overtures being made by Mr Bapu to the said woman athlete," the court said. Noticing a woman crying in the court, the judges enquired about her and was told by Aadil Parsurampuria, advocate for MMASFI, that she was the athlete who was harassed by Bapu. The woman then informed the court that she was sexually harassed and threatened of disqualification. The judges were also told that she had lodged complaints, but was left running from pillar to post for redressal of her grievance. "We were shocked to hear these statements from the said woman athlete supported by the documents placed on record," the judges said. "It is extremely unfortunate that neither the Federation nor the Indian Olympic Association have stood by the victim." When the court confronted the petitioner body's lawyer, he stated that "Bapu shall step down from his position as president of the Petitioner-Federation". The judges accepted this statement as "an undertaking to this court." The court also directed the police to record the athlete's statement and take action in accordance with the law. Accordingly, an FIR was registered on the basis of her statement at Kherwadi police station, the high court was informed on Friday. However, no clear answer was given when the court inquired as to whether Bapu has stepped down from his post. As MMAI had complained that its athletes were left out of the first Asian Youth Championship, to be held in Bahrain from June 25 to June 28, 2025, for lack of recognition by the Indian Olympic Association, the court granted liberty to MMAI to apply to the Indian Olympic Association in proper format and the Association in turn has been ordered to consider the same. When contacted, Prasad Gaitonde, secretary of MMAI, denied the allegations levelled against the association president, Sharif Bapu, and stated that Bapu had in December 2024 filed a defamation case against the woman in Andheri court and the matter is pending adjudication. Claiming that the woman had been levelling false allegations against Bapu for achieving personal goals, and to harm his reputation, Gaitonde has urged the court to punish her under various sections of the BNS....