Delhi Police on June 15 filed a 1,500-page chargesheet against Wrestling Federation of India outgoing chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh – within the June 15 deadline promised by the government and agreed by the wrestlers protesting for the second time this year since April.
Heavy security was deployed outside the Delhi residence of Brij Bhushan ahead of filing the chargesheet. Under sections 354, 354D, and 345A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the chargesheet has been filed against him for offences of sexual harassment and stalking. More than 180 people were questioned in connection with the allegations.
Notably, Delhi Police recently took a woman complainant to the Wrestling Federation of India’s office for investigation purposes. Two top women wrestlers who brought sexual assault allegations against Brij Bhushan were asked to provide audio, video, and photo as evidence. Notably, no one from Uttar Pradesh appeared as a witness against Brij Bhushan before the Delhi Police. Police also went to Brij Bhushan Singh’s residence in Gonda to record the statements of Brij Bhushan’s relatives, colleagues, and house staff.
Earlier, Delhi police on June 15 filed a cancellation report in Patiala House Court in the case filed against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava filed the cancellation report before the vacation judge Rajinder Singh at Patiala House court. Notably, now special POCSO judge Chhavi Kapoor will hear the case concerning the cancellation report on July 4.
The complaint under POCSO Act had been filed by a “minor wrestler”, and the FIR was registered under sections 354, 354A and 354D of IPC and section 10 of the POCSO Act. Shrivastava told the media that a cancellation report had been filed, and the concerned court would take note of the report on the next date.
“In the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of the investigation, we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) of the IPC against accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and when no express provision is made for its punishment)/ 354/354A/506 (punishment of criminal intimidation) IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the concerned court,” the Delhi Police said.
“In the POCSO matter, after completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173 Cr PC requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the minor victim and the victim herself”, Delhi Police said.
The father of a minor wrestler had told a television channel last week that he had “corrected” the statement in connection with the case against Brij Bhushan Singh and he had filed a false complaint against him “out of anger”.
Olympian Bajrang Punia, who has been part of the wrestler’s protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, later stated that the father of the minor girl had said that he “was under a lot of pressure” and that the entire family was “in depression”.
Delhi police on May 26 filed a status report in Rouse Avenue court and informed that the statement of women wrestlers had been recorded. On the previous hearing date, the court had asked the Delhi police to record the statement of all the victims before the court.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjit Singh Jaspal had directed the Delhi police to supply the status reports filed on May 12 and May 27 to the complainants. Atul Shrivastava appeared for Delhi police and informed the court that statements of all victims under Section 164 CrPC have been recorded before a magistrate. Advocate Anindiya Malhotra appeared on behalf of the complainants. He submitted that copies of status reports may be supplied to the complainants. The court allowed the request and directed them to supply the documents to them.
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