Police file 1,000-page chargesheet against Brij Bhusan in sexual harassment case

New-Delhi: The Delhi Police filed  a 1,000-page chargesheet against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment by wrestlers of the country.

The Delhi Police said in a statement, “In the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of investigation, we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354, 354A , 354D IPC against accused Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the concerned Hon’ble Court.”

Earlier, a case was filed after some women wrestlers alleged that Singh had sexually harassed them. Top wrestlers- Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and others staged a months-long protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding Singh’s arrest.

Sources said that the charge sheet contains statements of around 200 witnesses.

The court has posted the matter for hearing next on June 22.

In the the FIR registered at Connaught Place police station, it has been alleged by the six adult grapplers that Singh allegedly attempted to coerce one athlete into sexual acts by offering to provide her with “supplements”, invited another wrestler to his bed and hugging her, as well as assaulting and inappropriately touching other athletes.

“…Singh first sexually assaulted me. While I was training, the accused called me separately, to which I refused since the accused (Singh) was touching other girls also inappropriately,” said one of the grapplers in the FIR.

“However, I was again called by the accused who then pulled up my T-shirt and slid his hand down my stomach and put his hand on my naval on the pretext of checking my breath,” she said.

Another wrestler, 2, in the FIR stated that she was stretching/warming up on the ground on a mat, Singh came there and leaned in on her in the absence of her coach.

“Without seeking my permission pulled up my t-shirt and placed his hand on my breast and slid it down my stomach on the pretext of examining/checking my breathing and touched me inappropriately,” said wrestler 2.

“When we were protesting at Jantar Mantar, Singh through his goons tried to contact me and threats were given,” she added.

The third grappler in the FIR said she was standing in the last row, during the photo shoots of all wrestlers and waiting for the other wrestlers to take their position when Singh kept his hands on her buttock.

“Singh on the pretext of getting a picture clicked with me, forcefully against my will pulled me towards him by my shoulder tightly and forced me to get a picture clicked. I resisted his and tried to push him away from me to which he replied by saying ‘Zyada smart bann rhi hai kya” aage koi competition nhi khelne kya tune’,” said the fourth grappler in the FIR.

The fifth wrestler in the FIR alleged that Vinod Tomar, the Secretary of WFI, told her that Singh had called her to his room.

“I thought, since I had won the championship, Singh wanted to congratulate me. I went to the room where I met Singh. He called me towards his bed where he was sitting and then all of a sudden, he hugged me forcefully without my permission. Due to the physical advances made by the accused towards me without my consent,” she said in the FIR.

“He, in order to further fulfil his sexual intentions, he also tried to bribe me by offering to buy me supplements which I may require as an athlete in exchange for sexual favours.

“In 2016 in Mongolia, the WFI chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh called me to his dinner table where he was sitting separately, and to my utter shock and surprise and without my consent placed his hand on my breast and groped me and then slid his hand down to my stomach. To my disbelief, the accused did not stop there and again moved his hand upwards to my breast… repeatedly 3-4 times,” she added.