Ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh to be charged with sexual harassment

Screws tightened around former Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as a Delhi Court framed charges of sexual harassment and outraging modesty of women against him.

The Rose Avenue court on Friday said,“There is sufficient material on record to frame charges against Accused No 1 Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for the offences punishable under Sections 354 [outraging modesty of a woman] and 354A [sexual harassment] of the Indian Penal Code with respect to Victim No 1, Victim No 2, Victim No 3, Victim No 4 and Victim No 5.”

The Court also charged former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar with the offence of criminal intimidation for the offence against Victim No 1.

This comes as a landmark decision and winds up the long protest started by ace wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia.

The Delhi Police chargesheet based on the complaints of the six wrestlers said that Brij Bhushan was "liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences of sexual harassment, molestation and stalking."

After month long protest, six different wrestlers levelled sexual harassment allegations against Singh. Based on their complaints, the police had registered a first information report (FIR) against the MP.

The chargesheet filed by Delhi police had charges under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).