Women wrestlers who accused the outgoing chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and BJP MP, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, of sexual harassment on Monday moved Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court seeking a copy of the charge sheet filed against him.
The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal, which will consider the charge sheet on Tuesday, directed the lawyer for the complainants to apply for a certified copy at the court.
The Delhi Police, on June 15, had filed a charge sheet against Mr. Singh for offences such as outraging modesty of woman, stalking and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the Rouse Avenue Court. The police have also approached another court for the cancellation of a case filed by the minor wrestler.
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According to the police, the charge sheet was filed for offences under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually coloured remarks) and 354D (stalking) of the IPC against Mr. Singh. The police have also booked Vinod Tomar, former Assistant Secretary, WFI, under similar Sections along with Section 506 (1) (criminal intimidation).
SC’s intervention
Several Olympic and World Championship medal-winning wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, protested for months in New Delhi demanding the arrest of Mr. Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women grapplers, including a minor.
The police filed an FIR against the accused BJP MP only after the intervention of the Supreme Court last month. Sensing further delay in the investigation, the wrestlers recently threatened to immerse their medals in the Ganga.
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Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had met the wrestlers and assured them of full support and protection. Mr. Thakur had also assured the wrestlers that the police would file the charge sheet in the matter by June 15. The protest was suspended on this assurance.
