Shillong, September 24: In the ongoing case involving harassment charges filed by six women wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), the Delhi Police informed the Rouse Avenue court that Singh had consistently sought to “outrage the modesty” of the women wrestlers.
As per a report in India Today, the court was hearing arguments regarding the framing of charges against Singh after a chargesheet was filed in the sexual harassment case.
Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava, representing the Delhi Police, asserted that Singh was well aware of his actions, and his intent was to violate the modesty of the wrestlers. He highlighted three types of evidence against Singh that support the framing of charges, including a written complaint and two recorded statements under Sections 161 and 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Srivastava argued that the court has the jurisdiction to frame charges against Singh, countering the defense’s claim that Section 188 of the CrPC requires sanction for cases occurring outside India. Srivastava cited an earlier judgment, stating that sanction is necessary only if all offenses were committed outside India, while the offenses in this case took place in Delhi and other locations.
Brij Bhushan Singh’s lawyer had argued that the Delhi court lacks jurisdiction to decide on offenses outside the country without obtaining sanction.
Srivastava also informed the court that all witnesses in the case implicated the co-accused, Vinod Tomar, who assisted and facilitated Singh’s actions. Tomar, the former additional secretary of WFI, worked closely with Singh before his suspension, overseeing the wrestling body’s daily operations.
The Delhi Police had filed the chargesheet against Brij Bhushan Singh on June 15, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including assault, sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation.
The court had granted bail to Singh and suspended WFI additional secretary Vinod Tomar on July 20.