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A Delhi court on Monday recorded the statement of a key witness in the sexual harassment case against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The witness, the husband of one of the complainant wrestlers, provided testimony in an in-chamber proceeding presided over by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasiya.
As the examination of the witness remained incomplete, the court scheduled the next hearing for March 25.
Charges Framed Against Brij Bhushan Singh
On May 21, 2024, the court formally framed charges against Singh under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
Section 354 – Assault or criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty
Section 354A – Sexual harassment
Section 354D – Stalking
Section 506 – Criminal intimidation
Singh has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has opted to stand trial.
Additionally, the court framed charges of criminal intimidation against co-accused Vinod Tomar, the former assistant secretary of WFI.
Delhi Police Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The Delhi Police had initially filed a chargesheet against Singh on June 15, 2023, following complaints from six female wrestlers. The same day, the police also submitted a closure report in a separate case involving a minor wrestler.
During earlier in-chamber proceedings, the minor wrestler stated that she was satisfied with the Delhi Police’s investigation and did not oppose the closure report. The police had recommended dropping the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case against Singh after the minor’s father admitted midway through the probe that he had falsely accused Singh out of personal grievances.
Despite dropping the POCSO case, the police proceeded with charges of sexual harassment and stalking based on complaints from six other wrestlers. They justified the closure of the minor wrestler’s case by citing a lack of corroborative evidence.
The court is now set to continue witness examination on March 25. The outcome of this case will be closely watched, given its implications for sports governance and the protection of athletes from abuse.
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