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Wrestlers protest: Vinesh Phogat's ‘request’ to Ratan Tata as Sakshi Malik challenges WFI chief
Vinesh Phogat requested Ratan Tata to check whether the funds that he has donated to the WFI reached the wrestlers or not.
Ace woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who has been protesting along with other fellow grapplers such as Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment and intimidation of seven female wrestlers, on Wednesday requested businessman and philanthropist Ratan Tata to check whether the funds that he has donated to the federation reached athletes or not.
“I request Ratan Tata to check whether the funds that he donates to the wrestling federation reach the athletes or not,” said the protesting wrestler at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
Hitting out at Brij Bhushan, Malik challenged the WFI chief to undergo a lie detector Narco Test if he is confident of his innocence, news agency PTI reported.
The protesting wrestlers also said that they will oppose holding of competitions if Singh is involved in their organisation.
"I challenge the WFI president to take a Narco Test. We are also willing to take the test. Let the truth come out in the open, who is the culprit and who is not," Malik said at a press conference at the protest site
"We want all competitions to take place under the ad hoc panel of IOA. If WFI chief is involved in any way, we will oppose it," said another Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia.
To wear black armbands on Thursday
The wrestlers also decided to wear black armbands on Thursday to protest the “slow pace of investigation” against Brij Bhushan.
The Delhi Police has filed two FIRs against the WFI president on April 28.
Delhi court seeks status report
Earlier on Wednesday, a Delhi court sought a status report from the Delhi Police over the FIRs registered against Brij Bhushan, also a BJP MP.
Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Harjit Singh Jaspal issues notice to the Delhi Police over a plea moved by the wrestlers seeking monitoring of the investigation and recording of the statement of the alleged victims before the court. The court directed the police to file the report by May 12 when it will further hear the matter.
(With inputs from PTI)
