The Delhi Police took a significant step on Thursday by filing a chargesheet against BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The chargesheet includes offenses related to sexual harassment and stalking based on a complaint filed by prominent female wrestlers.
The wrestlers had approached a magisterial court in Delhi's Rouse Avenue District, seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Singh.
This development comes at a time when the wrestlers continue their protest against Singh at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. Their lawyers had previously called for a court-monitored probe and requested a status report.
The chargesheet, filed under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually colored remarks), 354D (stalking), and 506 (1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), indicates a significant step forward in the investigation. Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava confirmed the chargesheet filing to the media on Thursday.
However, in relation to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) case, the police filed a cancellation report due to a minor wrestler withdrawing the allegations against Singh. The POCSO case cancellation report has been submitted to the Patiala House Courts and is scheduled for further consideration on July 4.
In the sexual harassment case, ACMM Deepak Kumar of Rouse Avenue Court has fixed June 22 for further consideration regarding the chargesheet's cognizance.
Singh, who served as the WFI chief, faces accusations of sexual harassment by several women wrestlers. Delhi Police registered two FIRs at the Connaught Place police station against Singh. One FIR was filed under various offenses of the Indian Penal Code, while the other was registered under the POCSO Act.
The alleged incidents of sexual harassment are reported to have taken place between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, Singh's official residence, and abroad. The withdrawal of allegations by the minor wrestler in the POCSO case led to the police recommending its cancellation.
The protesters, who demanded Singh's arrest and accused him of exploiting women wrestlers, including a minor, are considering their next steps following the filing of the chargesheet. Vinod Tomar, a suspended assistant secretary of the WFI, also faces charges under sections 109 (abetment of any offense), 354, 354A, and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC in the chargesheet.
The investigation, led by the Special Investigation Team, has questioned over 180 individuals, including relatives, colleagues, house staff, and associates of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The team also visited Singh's residence in Gonda and took a woman wrestler there to recreate the sequence of events related to the alleged crime.
The filing of the chargesheet marks a significant milestone in the case, as the wrestlers had threatened to resume their protest if the chargesheet was not filed within the specified timeframe.
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