A Delhi court today dismissed a plea filed by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh seeking directions to the Delhi Police to further investigate the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by women wrestlers.
Priyanka Rajpoot, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate said that the Court will pronounce order on framing of charge on May 7. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had filed the application before the Court on April 18, the day it was scheduled to pronounce order on framing of charges against him.
The former WFI chief raised the defence of alibi and told the court that he was not in the national capital when one of the wrestlers who has complained against him was allegedly sexually harassed. Hence, the legislator asked for directions to investigate the aspect and also place on record the Call Detail Records (CDRs).
The plea was opposed by the Delhi Police, which called it a delay tactic. Notably, six wrestlers had levelled sexual harassment allegations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Relying on their complaints, the police had registered a first information report (FIR) against the MP.
Earlier on June 15, 2023, the police lodged a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for offences under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Previously, the complainants had moved the Supreme Court for the registration of an FIR against Singh. Consecutively, the Supreme Court was informed by the Delhi Police that an FIR was registered and that the investigation was on track.
Notably, a minor wrestler had also levelled allegations against Singh. Nonetheless, she later withdrew her complaint and the Delhi Police filed a cancellation report in that case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).