New Delhi: Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told the Delhi High Court on Thursday that sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by women wrestlers were motivated and the common agenda behind the complaint against him was to remove him from post of WFI chief.
High Court was hearing a plea by Singh seeking quashing of FIR, charges framed against him in sexual harassment case
The counsel representing Singh told this to Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, who was hearing a plea by Singh seeking quashing of the First Information Report (FIR) and charges framed against him by a trial court in a sexual harassment case lodged by several women wrestlers
The High Court questioned Singh for filing a single petition for quashing the FIR and challenging the trial court order framing charges against him and all other proceedings and said that there cannot be an omnibus order for everything. The court further said that he was challenging everything when the trial in case has commenced and added, “This is nothing but an oblique way.”
High Court granted Singh two weeks to file contentions for seeking quashing of the FIR and charge sheet
The High Court granted Singh two weeks to file contentions for seeking quashing of the FIR and charge sheet and all other proceedings emanating therefrom and listed the matter for further hearing on September 26.
Has been falsely implicated in sexual harassment case lodged by women wrestlers, Singh has claimed in his plea before High Court
Singh, in his plea before the High Court, has claimed that he has been falsely implicated in the sexual harassment case lodged by women wrestlers and that no offence was committed by him as alleged by the prosecution in the case. The former WFI chief has further said that the investigation in the sexual harassment case was carried out by the Delhi Police in a biased manner and the police considered only the version of the victims, who were interested in taking revenge against him.
Trial court framed charges against Singh in sexual harassment case
The trial court had on May 21 framed charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging the modesty of women against Singh and the charge of criminal intimidation against co-accused and Vinod Tomar, former WFI assistant secretary in case. Singh and Tomar are currently out on bail in the case.
Singh has pleaded not guilty to the offence of sexual harassment charges framed against him in the sexual harassment case with respect to five women wrestlers and claimed trial. The court had earlier discharged him in complaint filed by one of six women wrestlers who had lodged complaint against Singh for sexual harassment.
Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh on the complaints of women wrestlers
The Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh on the complaints of women wrestlers, who protested at Jantar Mantar demanding arrest of Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women wrestlers, after the intervention of the Supreme Court last year.
While one FIR against Singh was registered on the complaint of six major wrestlers, the other FIR was registered against him under provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the complaint of a minor wrestler.
While the Delhi Police filed a charge sheet against Singh on the complaint of six wrestlers, the police has filed a cancellation report before a city court in complaint of minor wrestler seeking dropping of POCSO case against him and court is yet to pronounce its order on the cancellation filed by the Delhi Police.