Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh dodges queries on chargesheet

GONDA: Addressing the media for the first time since Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against him in connection with allegations of sexual harassment by women grapplers, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Saturday made a strong pitch for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his return to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Singh said the "Modi wave" was still holding sway in the country, adding that the BJP will form the government at the Centre next year under the leadership of PM Modi.

The BJP MP, who was at Gonda in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday to attend an event and had claimed earlier that he would contest the next Lok Sabha polls, told reporters that his party will win all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the State.

Dodging questions on the wrestlers' protest and the chargesheet against him over allegations of sexual harassment, Brij Bhushan said, "A Modi wave is prevailing in the country as the people can see the strides the country is making under the leadership of the PM as opposed to the dire economic state in neighbouring Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the United States."

He added that people of all communities are aware that while the rest of the world was under fiscal stress, PM Modi has kept India from slipping into a similar State.

On ongoing attempts to bring all Opposition forces in a grand alliance against the NDA government at the Centre, the BJP MP said even a united Opposition won't be a thorn in the BJP's flesh as it is united in the same way as it was in 2014 and 2019.

"No one can stop PM Modi's juggernaut in 2024 as it is being driven by the people," he claimed.

Delhi Police on Thursday filed a chargesheet on the FIR filed against the WFI chief over complaints of sexual harassment.

The chargesheet has been filed under sections 354, 354D, 345A & 506 (1) of the IPC. However, Delhi Police recommended the withdrawal of the Posco case against him.

Two FIRs had been registered against the WFI chief -- one under the POCSO Act at the Patiala House Court on the complaint by a minor wrestler and the other complaint of other female wrestlers at the Rouse Avenue court. Delhi Police filed its final report in both the FIRs in the respective courts.

In Patiala House Court, Delhi Police filed Cancellation Report citing a lack of evidence in the POCSO case. The minor, who had accused the WFI chief of sexual harassment, later retracted her statement.

Delhi Police claimed that there was no corroborative evidence in the case.

They said in connection with the POCSO case, they submitted a police report under Section 173 of CrPC, requesting cancellation of the case based on statements of the minor and her father. Delhi Police said they filed the chargesheet for the offences under sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (making sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) of IPC against accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and for offences under sections 109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. Earlier, during a meeting with the protesting wrestlers, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had assured that the chargesheet in the case would be filed by June 15.