Sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan transferred to MP, MLA court

Chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) Mahima Rai Singh assigned the matter to ACMM Harjeet Singh Jaspal. The matter has now been listed for further hearing before the court on June 27

A Delhi court on Thursday transferred the sexual harassment case filed against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh by the Delhi police to the additional chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) MP/MLA court for further hearing.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (File Photo)

The Delhi police had on June 15 filed a 1,082 charge sheet against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP before a vacation judge charging him with sexual harassment, stalking, and assault or force to outrage the modesty of a woman based on several complaints filed by woman wrestlers, including a minor.

Chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) Mahima Rai Singh assigned the matter to ACMM Harjeet Singh Jaspal. The matter has now been listed for further hearing before the court on June 27.

ACMM Jaspal is currently also hearing an application moved by the wrestlers seeking a court-monitored probe into the matter.

The Delhi police had registered two cases against Singh after the intervention of the Supreme Court on April 28– one by six women wrestlers and another by a minor woman wrestler who later changed her statements.

The Delhi police had later filed a 552-page cancellation report in Delhi Patiala House Court in the case filed by the minor woman wrestler which is listed for hearing on July 5.

The minor was among the women athletes who levelled sexual harassment charges against Singh, who headed WFI for 12 years.

Against Singh, renowned Indian wrestlers, including Olympian medallists held protests at Jantar Mantar for 38 days demanding Singh’s immediate arrest until the Delhi police uprooted their tents there on May 28. They suspended their protest after Union minister Anurag Thakur on June 7 met Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and assured them that the charge sheet in the case would be filed by June 15.

According to deputy police commissioner Pranav Tayal Singh– a six-time BJP MP– was charged under sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). His aide, former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, was charged under the Indian Penal Code sections 109 (abetment), 354, 354A, and 506 (criminal intimidation), added Tayal.