Delhi court to consider charge sheet against Bhushan on July 1

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday listed the charge sheet against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case for consideration on July 1. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal said, "It is a lengthy charge sheet. It requires time to consider. The matter has been listed for consideration on July 1."

The court disposed of the application seeking monitoring of the investigation in the matter as dismissed as it was withdrawn. "As the charge sheet has already been filed, the application has become infructuous," the judge said. However, after considering the submissions of the counsel for the complainant, the court said that he may file an application for monitoring when he feels it is required.

Delhi police had filed a charge sheet against MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar in the alleged sexual harassment case based on the complaint by women wrestlers on June 15. The police had also filed a cancellation report in a POCSO case against Singh. Earlier, the ACMM had heard the application filed by the wrestlers seeking a court-monitored probe in the matter. The court had called for a status report on the matter.

Delhi Police officials on June 15 filed a charge sheet in the FIR against the WFI chief on the complaint of protesting wrestlers. The charge sheet has been filed under sections 354, 354D, 345A & 506 (1) of IPC, said Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava.

In the wrestlers' matter, there were two FIRs registered against Singh on the basis of the wrestlers' complaints. One was registered under POCSO Act and a cancellation report has been filed in the case of a Minor wrestler.

The second was filed on the complaint of several wrestlers in Rouse Avenue Court in MP/MLA court. Delhi Police on June 15 filed a report recommending the cancellation of the POCSO case against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in Patiala House Court, Delhi, citing lack of evidence.

This comes after the minor, who had accused the WFI chief of sexual harassment changed her statement. There was no collaborative evidence in the case, Delhi Police said.

"In both matters, Delhi Police officials 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 Singh and for offences under sections 109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the Rouse Avenue Court", said Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.

The Delhi police further said, "In the POCSO matter, after completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173 Cr PC requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself."

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur recently told protesting wrestlers during his talks with them that the charge sheet in the case will be filed by June 15 and assured that an Internal Complaint Committee of the wrestling federation will be constituted and it will be headed by a woman. The protesting wrestlers had said they will discuss the outcome of their talks with their supporters.