Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan summoned by Delhi Court on sexual harassment charges

Delhi's Rouse Avenue court has issued a summons to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and Member of Parliament (MP) from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in connection with allegations of sexual harassment made by several women wrestlers.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal, after considering the chargesheet filed against Brij Bhushan, has directed him to appear before the court on July 18. The court determined that there is sufficient evidence to proceed with the case.

The chargesheet, filed on June 15, includes sections 354, 354D, and 345A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), relating to stalking and sexual harassment. Additionally, Vinod Tomar, the suspended assistant secretary of WFI, has also been summoned and charged under Sections 109, 354, 354A, and 506 of the IPC, which pertain to abetment of offenses, criminal intimidation, and more.

One of the complainants against Brij Bhushan is a minor, who had also filed a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. However, the Delhi Police requested the Patiala House court to cancel the case after the minor complainant withdrew her statement before a district magistrate.

The police cited a lack of corroborative evidence in a 552-page cancellation report. The court is scheduled to hear the matter on July 4.

Prominent Indian wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat, staged a 38-day protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan. However, they were detained by the police on May 28 for violating law and order.

The protest was suspended following a meeting between the wrestlers and union minister Anurag Thakur, who assured them that the charge sheet would be filed by June 15.