NEW DELHI: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president, BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and Vinod Tomar were granted two days of provisional bail on Tuesday by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court in the matter of accused wrestler sexual harassment.
Singh was granted relief by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal, who also instructed him to post a Rs 25,000 bail bond. His regular bail plea will be heard by the court following time on July 20, 2023.
Rajiv Mohan, Singh's lawyer, said there had been media coverage throughout the hearing. The judge responded by saying he may file an application with the high court or the trial court.
The Delhi Police filed a 1500-page chargesheet against Singh for allegedly following and harassing six female wrestlers. The Delhi court took notice of the chargesheet and summoned Singh. The six wrestlers' testimony was included in the chargesheet, along with witness statements, technological evidence such as pictures, videos, call detail records, and testimony from other people. In order to support the complaints, police presented photographic and video evidence.
While Tomar was charged with offences under sections 109 (abetment of any offence, if the act abetted is committed in consequence and there is no express provision made for its punishment), 354, 354A, and 506 (criminal intimidation), Singh was charged under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Seven female wrestlers, one a teenager, have separately accused Singh of harassing them sexually and inciting violence in the month of April. In their allegations, they listed 15 instances of sexual harassment, including 10 instances of unwanted touching, as well as other intimidation-related occurrences, including stalking.
The complainant's father and the juvenile then withdrew their accusations against Singh in a new statement made in front of a magistrate, at which point the Delhi Police also submitted a cancellation report in accordance with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The sexual harassment complaint against Brij Bhushan had previously been given to the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), a court that hears cases involving MPs and MLAs, by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court. June 27 has been set aside for the case.
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