Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
– Photo: File photo
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The court on Thursday reserved its order on framing of charges against accused BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and his aide in the sexual harassment case of six female wrestlers. The court will give its verdict on April 18.
In February, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had sought acquittal in the case, citing delay in reporting the alleged crime and contradictions in the statements of the complainants. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Rouse Avenue Court, Priyanka Rajput on Thursday reserved the judgment after hearing arguments from the complainants, Delhi Police and the accused, including former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.
Earlier during the proceedings, the complainants and the police had said that there was enough evidence to proceed with the case against the accused persons. The Delhi Police had rejected the contention of the accused that some of the incidents took place abroad and thus were beyond the jurisdiction of Delhi courts, arguing that the alleged acts of sexual assault were being prosecuted both abroad and in India, including Delhi. , Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was attributed.
His lawyer had told the court that these incidents were reported to have taken place in 2012, but the police were informed about them in 2023. Furthermore, he argued for inconsistencies in the timing and locations of the alleged events, and claimed no apparent connection between them.
Delhi Police had completed its arguments last month. It was argued that the incidents of alleged sexual harassment, whether abroad or within the country, are interconnected and part of a single transaction. Therefore, the police had said that the court had jurisdiction to hear the case. Additional public prosecutor Atul Srivastava, appearing for Delhi Police, had argued that the case under section 354 of the IPC was not time-barred as it carries a maximum punishment of five years.
Addressing the issue of delay in filing complaints, Srivastava had raised the issue of fear among women wrestlers and said that wrestling holds a lot of importance in their lives, and they are reluctant to come forward due to concerns of jeopardizing their careers. She was hesitating.
