Delhi Court Frames Charges Against Brij Bhushan Singh in Sexual Harassment Case

The Rouse Avenue court on Friday ordered the framing of charges against ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh in a sexual harassment case.
The case was filed by six female wrestlers.

The court framed charges against the BJP leader in the case of sexual harassment of five female wrestlers. However, the court acquitted Brij Bhushan of the charges levelled by the sixth wrestler.

Brij Bhushan has also been charged with the offence of outraging the modesty of women.

The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot, while passing the order said, there is sufficient material against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to proceed with the sexual harassment of five women wrestlers and with the offence of outraging the modesty of women.

The court said, "Charges were framed against Brij Bhushan under sections 354 and 354A in respect of each victim."

Delhi court also ordered the framing of charges against ex-WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case by the women wrestlers.

The court found sufficient material to proceed against Brij Bhushan under sections 354 and 354 A (IPC). Charges have also been framed against him under section 506 (part 1) on the allegations of two women. However, the court discharged Brij Bhushan from the allegations made by the sixth wrestler, said the court.

The court also framed charges against the second accused Vinod Tomar under section 506 (part 1) of the IPC on the allegation of one woman and discharged him with the rest allegations made against him. The court has now listed the matter for official framing of charges on May 21.

Recently the same court had dismissed an application moved by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, seeking further investigation and placing of a Call Detail Record of a coach.

Brij Bhushan had sought a direction to place on record the CDR of coach Vijender concerning an alleged incident at the WFI office in New Delhi. Brij Bhushan claimed that he was not in Delhi on the said date. He was in Serbia on September 7, 2022.

The Delhi Police charge sheet filed against Brij Bhushan and Vinod stated that both the accused are charge-sheeted for trial 'without arrest' as they have complied with the directions u/s 41A CrPC by joining the investigation.

The charge sheet further stated that based on the investigation so far, Brij Bhushan Singh was "liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences" of sexual harassment, molestation and stalking.

A 1599-page charge sheet in the case, having statements of 44 witnesses and six statements was recorded under CrPC 164.

Delhi Police in the charge sheet also submitted several pictures including the picture clicked during the events.
Delhi Police charge sheet stated that based on the "investigation so far," of the complaints by six top wrestlers, Singh was "liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences" of sexual harassment, molestation and stalking.

The charge sheet stated that witnesses in the matter have mentioned that they also saw the physically wrong gesture of the then WFI president.

Delhi police had filed a charge sheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar on June 15, last year.

This case was lodged on a complaint lodged by women wrestlers.

In the wrestlers' matter, two FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan Singh based on the wrestlers' complaints.

One was registered under the POCSO Act and a cancellation report has been filed in the case of a minor wrestler. The second FIR was filed on the complaint of several wrestlers.

In both matters, Delhi Police officials had said that in the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of the investigation, we are filing a charge sheet for the offences under sections 354, 354A, 354D IPC against accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the Rouse Avenue Court, said Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.