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Brij Bhushan Singh summoned by Delhi court in wrestlers’ sexual harassment case
The Delhi court is expected to fix a date for hearing arguments on the charges filed against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on the next date of hearing
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday issued summons to Wrestling Federation of India chief (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the suspended federation official Vinod Tomar as it took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Delhi police in the sexual harassment case filed on a complaint of six women wrestlers against Singh.
Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal directed Singh, a Bharatiya Janata Party MP, and Tomar to appear in person before the court on July 18. The court is expected to fix a date for hearing the arguments on the charges on the next date of hearing.
The Delhi police has charged the six-time parliamentarian from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj under sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code. His aide, Tomar, was charged under sections 109 (abetment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) in addition to 354 and 354A.
A conviction under section 354 carries a maximum jail term of five years, three years under section 354A and three years under section 354D.
The 66-year-old Singh was facing two FIRs – one filed by six women athletes and another by a minor, who later changed her statement before a magistrate. On June 15, police filed a 1082-page charge sheet in the first case and a 552-page cancellation report in the second FIR.
The court has sought response from the minor woman wrestler and her family on whether they agree with the police or have any objections to the cancellation report. This case has been listed for further hearing on August 1.
A cancellation report is filed in cases where no corroborative evidence is found against the accused by the investigating agency.
Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, and double World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat led protests, which first began in January, to seek Singh’s arrest. They suspended their agitation on June 7 after camping at Jantar Mantar for 38 days untill the city police uprooted their tents on May 28.
