Swati Maliwal's SOS letter to cops as top wrestlers protest again
In her letter to the Delhi Police, DCW Chief Swati Maliwal demanded a response from them on the delay in filing an FIR in the wrestlers' matter.
Chief of Delhi Commission for Women, Swati Maliwal has written to the Delhi Police for “failing to register FIR in the matter of sexual harassment case of women wrestlers.”
Taking to Twitter, the DCW Chief wrote, “Several women wrestlers of the country had given a complaint of sexual harassment against the WFI President at Connaught Place Police Station two days ago. One of the complainants is also a minor. Till now the Delhi Police has not registered an FIR in the matter. This is against the law. Have issued a notice to the police in this matter. Asking to respond to the DCW within 48 hours.”
She also shared a copy of the letter on the social media platform.
In her letter issued to the Delhi police, Swati Maliwal stated, “The complainant has informed the commission that several women wrestlers including a minor have alleged that the accused person has indulged in the crime of sexual harassment against them during his tenure at the Wrestling Federation of India.”
“The complainant has also informed the commission that a complaint in this regard was submitted by them at PS Connaught Place on 21.04.2023. She has further informed that no action has been taken by the SHO, Connaught Place on the complaint. She has also stated that…she was informed by him that no FIR has been filed and that action shall be taken on the complaint post Monday,” the DCW Chief's letter reads further.
Maliwal, in her letter, also stated, “She (the complainant) has further stated that when she asked him (SHO) for assurance that the FIR shall be filed by Monday, he answered that he could not guarantee the same.”
Earlier this year, women wrestlers of WFI (Wrestlers Federation of India) had accused its president Brij Bhushan Sharma of sexual harassment. However, Sharma had denied the allegations levelled against him.
Top Indian wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, and Sakshi Malik, had held a sit-in protest in Jantar Mantar in January this year, demanding that WFI President Brij Bhushan be removed from the head office and Wrestling Federation of India be disbanded.
Following the protest, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the formation of an 'oversight committee' to probe allegations levelled by the protesters. However the protesters say that nothing was done so far to resolve their issues.
(With inputs from ANI)
