A Delhi court has summoned BJP MP and outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the infamous case related to alleged sexual harassment of India top women wrestlers.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal, after carefully examining the charge sheet on Friday, directed Singh to appear before the court on July 18. The suspended assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India, Vinod Tomar, has also been summoned by the court.
“Upon perusal of the police report and the statements of the victims recorded under section 164 CrPC, it is evident that the allegations are specific and suggest offences under provisions of the IPC. The list of prosecution witnesses has been filed. After considering the submissions and reviewing the police report, along with its annexed documents, including the victims’ statements, testimonies of other witnesses, and other oral and documentary evidence, this court takes cognisance of the committed offences under sections of the IPC,” Judge Jaspal said.
The judge asked the SHO of Connaught Place Police Station to serve the summons to both the accused. Considering that both Singh and Tomar reside in Delhi, the court set a short date for their appearance.
The police had filed the charge sheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a six-time MP, on June 15 under sections 354, 354A, 354D, and 506 of the IPC, pertaining to assault, sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation.
Tomar, who held the position of assistant secretary, has been charged with offences under sections 109, 354, 354A, and 506 of the IPC, related to abetment and criminal intimidation.
Alongside the present case, another FIR was filed against Singh based on allegations made by a minor wrestler. This FIR was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The complaint was made by one of the seven female grapplers who accused Singh of sexual harassment. The allegations include instances of inappropriate touching, groping, stalking, and intimidation spanning over a decade, occurring at various times and locations.
In the case involving the minor, the court had sought responses from both the girl and the complainant regarding the final report filed by the Delhi Police.
The report requested the cancellation of the case against Singh for alleged sexual harassment. The Delhi Police submitted the report on June 15, stating a lack of corroborative evidence after conducting a thorough investigation.
A cancellation report is typically filed when the police are unable to find sufficient evidence to support the allegations. Notable wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, as well as Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat, have rallied behind the cause of the women wrestlers.
