Hidden Agenda Of Women Wrestlers Behind Filing Sexual Harassment Case: Brij Bhushan Singh To Delhi High Court

BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Thursday claimed before the Delhi High Court that there is a “hidden agenda” of women wrestlers behind filing sexual harassment case against him.

The submission was made before Justice Neena Bansal Krishna who was hearing Singh's plea seeking quashing of the FIR, chargesheet as well as all the trial court proceedings emanating from the case.

Singh has also challenged the trial court order framing charges against him.

Singh's counsel told court that prior to filing of the complaint in April last year, none of the women wrestlers ever raised any allegations against Singh. He alleged that the women wrestlers filed the complaint against Singh in order to remove him from the post of Chief of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), followed by protests by wrestlers.

The Delhi Police as well as the complainant wrestlers opposed the maintainability of the plea.

The court adjourned the matter to September 26 and asked Singh's counsel to file a short note disclosing the grounds for quashing of the case.

In May, the trial court had framed sexual harassment charges against Singh with respect to five women wrestlers. However, he pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

“This court has found sufficient material on record to frame charges against accused no. 1 Brij Bhushan Saran Singh for the offences under Section 354 (outraging modesty of woman) and 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code regarding victims no. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,” the court had said.

The trial court had also found sufficient material on record to frame charges against Singh for the offences under Section 506 Part 1 of IPC with respect to victim no. 1 and 5.

The court however discharged Brij Bhushan Singh in the allegations levelled by victim no. 6. 

For accused no. 2, Vinod Tomar, the court framed charges under Section 506 part 1 regarding victim no 1. For the remaining offences, he stands discharged, the court had added.

It had dismissed Singh's application seeking further investigation in the case and for making further submissions on framing of charges. He had claimed that he was not in India on the date in question.

Singh is out on bail in the case, along with co-accused Vinod Tomar, who is the former assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India.

The Delhi Police had filed the chargesheet last month under Sections 354 (outraging modesty of a woman), 354A(sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code, 1860 against them. Section 109 (abetment) of IPC was additionally invoked against Tomar.

However, a cancellation report was filed in the POCSO case registered against Singh by a minor wrestler.

The BJP leader has been accused of sexual harassment by women wrestlers. The alleged incidents of sexual harassment are said to have occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, at Singh's official residence and also abroad, according to media reports.

Title: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh v. State