The Delhi Police on Thursday (June 15) filed a chargesheet against BJP strongman, MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. In addition, the police filed a 500-page cancellation report in the POCSO Act case that had been filed against Singh. The filing of the chargesheet today comes months after the women wrestlers took to the streets to press their case alleging inaction and only after Union home minister Amit Shah and sports minister Anurag Thakur had promised the protesting wrestlers that the police investigation would be complete by June 15, and so they should suspend their movement.
“In the POCSO matter, after completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173 Cr PC requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself,” the Delhi Police said in a statement.
“In the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of the investigation, we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354, 354A , 354D IPC against accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the concerned Hon’ble Court,” the statement continued.
Tomar was the assistant secretary of the WFI. He was suspended from his post in January 2023. Women wrestlers have accused Singh of sexual harassment and molestation, and misuse of his authority. They launched a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar on April 23, accusing the police and Union government of shielding Singh and not taking their concerns seriously. On May 28, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new parliament building, the wrestlers were manhandled and detained by the Delhi Police. Their protest site at Jantar Mantar was also dismantled. Singh, meanwhile, attended the parliament inauguration. Reports also indicated that the government top brass including the prime minister were aware of the grave allegations since 2021. According to NDTV, the Delhi Police’s Special Investigation Team has questioned more than 180 people in the case against Singh. The police also requested CCTV and other evidence against Singh from wrestling federations in five countries.
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Warning or threat, accused MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh sends ‘message’ to BJP’s top brass: UP