By Mahender Singh Manral
WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh is facing allegations of sexual harassment by wrestlers.
Two top women wrestlers who have accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of touching their breast and sliding his hand to the stomach — on the pretext of checking their breathing — have been asked by the Delhi Police to provide photos, audio and video as evidence for their allegations, The Indian Express has learnt. This even includes the photo of a “hug” that Singh is said to have given one of the complainants that was red-flagged in the FIR.
According to the FIR, these incidents of sexual harassment occurred between 2016 and 2019 allegedly at the WFI office at 21, Ashoka Road, also the address of Singh’s MP bungalow, and during tournaments abroad.
Separate notices, under Section 91 of CrPC, were issued to the women wrestlers on June 5 and they were given a day to respond, a senior police officer said. “We have provided whatever evidence we have. One of our relatives has also given the police what they asked for,” a wrestler confirmed.
According to one of the complainants, as mentioned in the FIR, Singh hugged her tightly for 10 to 15 seconds after she won a major medal overseas. The wrestler claimed that she had to keep her hand near her breast to avoid being groped. The police is said to have asked this wrestler for a photograph of the event when the hug happened.
On June 7, in the first breakthrough in their standoff with the Government, the wrestlers had agreed to pause their protest until June 15. This is the date by which, according to the Sports Minister Anurag Thakur who held the six-hour-long talks with the wrestlers, a chargesheet in the case will be filed by Delhi Police.
The police asked the complainants to furnish the date and time of the alleged incidents, the time they spent at the WFI office, and names of their roommates and other potential witnesses especially when they were overseas. Police have also wanted details of the hotel where one of the wrestlers stayed when she visited the WFI office.
One wrestler and her relative were also asked to provide details of threatening calls received allegedly after complaints were filed against Singh. The relative was issued a separate notice asking for video/photograph/call recording/WhatsApp chats related to threatening calls.
The notices were signed by Investigating Officer at the Connaught Place police station.
Incidentally, the Oversight Committee formed by the Union Sports Ministry in January had also asked victims who appeared for audio and video proof.
Both these women wrestlers in their complaints and FIRs have put on record how Singh allegedly used the pretext of checking their breathing patterns to touch them inappropriately and sexually,
One wrestler has accused Singh of touching her breast and stomach after asking her to join him at a table during an overseas tournament in 2016. She has also accused Singh of touching her inappropriately and groping her on two days when she was called to the WFI office in Singh’s MP bungalow premises at 21, Ashoka Road in New Delhi.
The second wrestler, who also received the police notice, alleged that during a warm-up, Singh lifted her training jersey without her consent in 2018 and touched her breast and stomach saying he wanted to check her breathing pattern. In a second incident at the WFI office, Singh allegedly asked the others to leave, following which he allegedly pulled her close and tried to grope her.
Singh has consistently denied these allegations and alleged political vendetta.
On Friday, a woman wrestler was taken by the Delhi police to the WFI office. Singh was present at his residence when the woman wrestler was there.
On April 21, seven female wrestlers, including the minor, had filed separate complaints of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation against the WFI president at Delhi’s Connaught Place police station. The wrestlers later approached the Supreme Court, stating that the police were not registering FIRs.
On April 28, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs that have at least two instances of demanding “sexual favours” in lieu of professional assistance; close to 15 incidents of sexual harassment that include 10 episodes of inappropriate touching, molestation that includes running hands over breasts, touching the navel; several instances of intimidation including stalking.
Courtesy: Indian Express
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