Delhi Court summons WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Singh in sexual harassment case

BJP MP and outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been summoned by a Delhi Court in a case where the women wrestlers leveled sexual harassment charges against him on Friday.

The court, which asked him to appear on July 18, noted: "There was sufficient evidence to proceed against the accused". The court also summoned Vinod Tomar, the WFI's suspended assistant secretary.

The Delhi police had filed a chargesheet against Bhushan, a six-time MP, on June 15 under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Tomar was charged with offences under IPC Sections 109 (abetment of any offence, if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 354, 354A, and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Prominent Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia sat in protest against the outgoing WFI Chief in April and demanded his arrest on the grounds of corruption and sexual harassment.

After a long battle of more than five weeks, Delhi police filed a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and the wrestlers called off the protest, saying the legal battle would continue.

The wrestlers are back to their training, with Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia heading out to Kyrgystan and Hungary for international training camps.

While the wrestlers have gone for training, the wrestling trials for the upcoming Asian Games is still hanging in limbo after IOA has asked OCA for an extension to accommodate the protesting wrestlers.