Denying Arjuna award to Manoj Kumar initially was mistake: Sonowal

New Delhi: Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday admitted that it was a mistake to deny Arjuna award to Commonwealth Games gold-medalist boxer Manoj Kumar initially and said it happened because of "mistaken identity".

"It was our mistake. It had happened due to mistaken identity. As soon as the error was detected, we have decided to confer the Arjuna award to Manoj Kumar," Sonowal told Lok Sabha during Question Hour.

After being snubbed for a second time, Manoj took the legal route and filed a case in the Delhi high Court. In the court, the Ministry had admitted that Manoj was initially not considered for the award by the committee as they mistakenly believed that he was involved in a doping case.

Sonowal said the selection process of Arjuna award is very transparent and the Sports Ministry has moved to objective selection process from its earlier subjective process.

"It is a very transparent selection process now. On the basis of various criteria, the selection panel gives marks to the eligible sportspersons for various sports awards like Arjuna, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Dronacharya awards and Dhyan Chand awards," he said.