Brij Bhushan Case: Phones In FSL For Year, Delhi Court Summons Victim To Dispose

The Rouse Avenue court on Friday has postponed the recording of evidence in a sexual harassment case against former MP and ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh due to a mobile phone, seized during the investigation, still being at the Forensic Science Lab in Rohini, Delhi.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot deferred the chief examination of Constable Mukesh Kumar, who was involved in the investigation.

Constable Kumar, part of the police team that went to Singh’s village in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, seized 2 mobile phones from Deepak Singh and Subedar Yadav, which are now at the FSL. The court has summoned one victim and another witness, Rashmi, to testify.

The court also mentioned that the victim’s statement would be recorded in a vulnerable witness room if she feels uncomfortable testifying in the courtroom. The next hearing is set for August 6.

Earlier, on July 11, the court directed the trial and recording of prosecution witnesses’ statements in the sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar to begin. Advocate Rajiv Mohan, representing Singh, withdrew an application seeking documents related to Singh’s foreign travel and hotel stays, with the liberty to file a fresh application later.

Charges against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar were formally framed on May 21, following the court’s directive on May 10. Singh denied all allegations and demanded a trial. The court found sufficient material to proceed against Singh under sections 354 and 354A of the IPC for sexual harassment of 5 women wrestlers and for outraging the modesty of women. Charges under section 506 (part 1) were also framed based on allegations from two women, while he was discharged from allegations made by a sixth wrestler.

Vinod Tomar faced charges under section 506 (part 1) of the IPC based on one woman’s allegations but was discharged from the rest. The Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Singh and Tomar on June 15, 2023, without arrest, as both complied with the investigation.

The chargesheet, totaling 1,599 pages, includes statements from 44 witnesses and six statements recorded under section 164 of the CrPC. It alleges Singh’s liability for prosecution and punishment for sexual harassment, molestation, and stalking, based on complaints from six top wrestlers. Two FIRs were registered against Singh, one under the POCSO Act, which has since seen a cancellation report, and another based on complaints from several wrestlers. The chargesheet specifies offences under sections 354, 354A, and 354D of the IPC against Singh, and sections 109, 354, 354A, and 506 against Tomar, as stated by Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.

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