New Delhi, 12 May (H.S.): The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has recorded the statement of a member of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the case filed against Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, former president of the Wrestling Federation of India, in connection with the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar has directed that the officer investigating the case be examined, and the officer’s statements will be recorded on 15 and 19 May.

So far, the prosecution is in the process of recording the statements of its witnesses in the case. On 10 May 2024, the court framed charges against Brijbhushan Sharan Singh. The court proceeded to frame charges against him in five out of the six complaints filed by female wrestlers, while he was acquitted in the case lodged by one woman wrestler. The court framed charges under Sections 354, 354A and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the sexual harassment cases of the five women wrestlers, and framed charges under Section 506 of the IPC against co‑accused Vinod Tomar, former secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India.

The Rouse Avenue Court had on 26 April 2024 dismissed Brijbhushan’s petition seeking a fresh investigation into the case. On 18 April 2024, Brijbhushan had moved the court, alleging that on the day of the alleged incident—7 September 2022—he was not in India, and had requested Delhi Police to verify this fact, which the court rejected.

The court had granted bail to Brijbhushan Singh and co‑accused Vinod Tomar on 20 July 2023. On 7 July 2023, the court had taken cognisance of the chargesheet filed by Delhi Police, which was submitted to the Rouse Avenue Court on 15 June 2023. The chargesheet contains allegations under Sections 354, 354D, 354A and 506(1) of the Indian Penal Code.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar