Sexual Harassment Case: Delhi Court Defers Order on Framing Charges against Brij Bhushan Singh

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court is expected to pronounce its decision on April 26 regarding whether to frame charges against former Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case filed by six female wrestlers against him.

The Judge

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot, who was slated to issue the order today, deferred the matter after Singh submitted an application to the court requesting further investigation.

Application

In his application, the BJP MP requested additional time to present further arguments on charges and to conduct additional investigation, citing his absence from India on the date of one of the incidents. In this incident, a complainant alleges she was harassed at the WFI office. Singh’s legal representative asserted that the Delhi Police had based their case on the call detail records (CDR) of the coach accompanying the complainant, claiming they were present at the WFI on September 7, 2022, where the alleged molestation occurred.

The police have not placed the CDR on record, as claimed by the counsel. Furthermore, the counsel asserted that Singh was not in the country on the alleged offense date.

“I (Singh) am seeking direction to Delhi Police to investigate the issue. The dates on which the offense is alleged are not clear. This has a bearing at the stage of charge. If I am not there when the offense is being alleged against me, my plea of alibi will come in,” the counsel argued.

The public prosecutor opposed the application, stating that it was “merely a delay tactic being used by the defense.” The judge reserved order on the issue and posted the matter for April 26.

The city police had filed a charge sheet in the case against Singh, a six-time MP, on June 15 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The police had also charged Vinod Tomar, the suspended assistant secretary of the WFI, in the case.

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