Wrestlers’ sexual harassment case: Court to hear argument on charges from Aug 9 to 11

New Delhi [India]: A Delhi court on Thursday fixed August 9 to August 11 for arguments on Charges in the sexual harassment case registered by several wrestlers.

Outgoing Wrestler Federation of India (WFI) Chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, along with the Federation’s assistant secretary Vinod Tomar Singh, is the accused in the case.
Recently, the Court granted regular bail to outgoing Wrestling Federation of India President

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the Federation’s assistant secretary Vinod Tomar Singh in the sexual harassment case registered by several wrestlers.
On Thursday,  Advocate Rajeev Mohan, a lawyer for Brij Bhushan Sharan, submitted that the documents supplied are complete however there are certain documents for which he seeks a better picture/better copy as per his submission, he can take the soft copy from the Investigation officer.

After taking note of this, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal decided to keep the matter for arguments on charge for 9, 10 and 11 August, 2023.

Earlier, the court, while granting regular bail to both accused, imposed several conditions that the accused shall directly or indirectly not induce the complainants or witnesses and shall not leave the country without the permission of the court.

Appearing for Delhi Police, Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava earlier submitted that, “We have not arrested the accused, we leave it to the court if they want to grant him bail, but we are opposing bail… some conditions can be imposed on him that he does not influence the witnesses.”

The Delhi Police chargesheet filed against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar stated that both the accused are charge-sheeted for trial ‘without arrest’ as they have complied with the directions u/s 41A CrPC by joining the investigation.
The results of digital/electronic devices and exhibits seized and deposited with the concerned forensic labs are yet to be received and shall be filed through supplementary police reports.

The analysis of requisitioned CDRs, etc., as found appropriate for the purpose of prosecution shall also be submitted expeditiously, stated the Delhi Police in the chargesheet.

The present chargesheet has been prepared against the alleged accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar for the commission of an offence under sections 354/354A/354D IPC (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh).

Accused Vinod Tomar aided/facilitated the commission of the crime. Accordingly, he is being forwarded for trial u/s 354/354A/109/506 IPC.

The chargesheet further stated that based on the investigation so far, Brij Bhushan Singh was “liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences” of sexual harassment, molestation, and stalking.

A 1599-page chargesheet in the case had the statements of 44 witnesses, and six statements were recorded under CrPC 164.

In the chargesheet, Delhi Police also submitted several pictures, including the one clicked during the events.

The Delhi Police chargesheet stated that based on the “investigation so far” of the complaints by six top wrestlers, Singh was “liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences” of sexual harassment, molestation, and stalking.

The chargesheet stated that witnesses in the matter have mentioned that they also saw the physically wrong gesture of the then WFI president.

Delhi police had filed a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar on June 15.

This case was filed on a complaint lodged by female wrestlers.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal issued summons to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar after taking Cognizance of the charge sheet.

In the wrestlers’ matter, two FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan Singh on the basis of the wrestlers’ complaints.
One was registered under the POCSO Act, and a cancellation report has been filed in the case of a minor wrestler. The second FIR was filed on the complaint of several wrestlers.

In Patiala House Court, Delhi Police filed a cancellation report, citing a lack of evidence, on the POCSO matter.

On June 15, Delhi Police filed a report recommending the cancellation of the POCSO case against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharana Singh.

This comes after the minor, who had accused the WFI chief of sexual harassment, changed her statement.

There was no collaborative evidence in the case, Delhi Police said.

In both matters, Delhi Police officials said that in the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of the investigation, we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354, 354A, and 354D IPC against accused Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and for the offences under sections109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the Rouse Avenue Court, said Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.

In the POCSO matter, after completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under Section 173 CrPC requesting a cancellation of the case based upon the statements of the complainant, i.e., the father of the victim, and the victim herself, added Delhi police.