The chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police in the case against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh could spell trouble for the beleaguered Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker.
The chargesheet, dated June 13, accessed by The Indian Express, categorically states that Singh is “liable to be prosecuted and punished” for offences of sexual harassment, molestation and stalking.
The chargesheet, invoking Sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 354 (outraging modesty of a woman), 354 A (sexual harassment) and 354 D (stalking), is the first categorical indictment of Singh who is facing multiple allegations of sexual harassment from wrestlers.
The allegations against the WFI chief wrestlers resulted in a long-drawn protest by medal-winning national wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, among others. The protests were called off after the Sports minister assured the wrestlers that their complaints will be looked into.
As per The Indian Express, Singh has been booked under Sections 354, 354A and 354D in two cases, and under Sections 354 and 354A in four of the six cases he faces. The report adds that the Delhi Police has requested the court to summon Singh and the witnesses in its chargesheet.
“The accused may please be summoned to face trial and witnesses named in the list of witnesses appended with the chargesheet may be called for their examination along with documents mentioned with their names,” the chargesheet states.
The chargesheet further adds that the investigators spoke to 108 witnesses of whom 15, including wrestlers, coaches and referees, corroborated the allegations made by the wrestlers.
The wrestlers have alleged in their complaints 15 incidents of sexual harassment that include 10 episodes of inappropriate touching; and several instances of intimidation, including stalking.
The Delhi Police have also included detailed corroborative statements of witnesses related to specific allegations of six wrestlers in the chargesheet.