Delhi court reserves order on framing of charges against Brij Bhushan in sexual harassment case

The former Wrestling Federation of India chief says the case is ‘false and motivated’

Updated - April 04, 2024 10:41 pm IST - New Delhi:

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. File

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. File | Photo Credit: ANI

A Delhi court on Thursday reserved its order on framing of charges against BJP Member of Parliament and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, in a sexual harassment case lodged by women wrestlers.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajput will pronounce the order on April 18.

Many renowned wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, had protested for months in New Delhi demanding the arrest of Mr. Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women grapplers, including a minor.

The police filed an FIR against the BJP MP after the intervention of the Supreme Court in May 2023. In June, a 1,000-page charge sheet was filed at the Rouse Avenue court, which accused Mr. Singh and another former WFI staffer Virendra Tomar of offences such as outraging modesty, making sexually-coloured remarks, stalking and criminal intimidation.

The minor wrestler later took back her complaint and changed the statement.

During the hearing on framing of charges, Mr. Singh maintained that the case was “false and motivated”. 

Public prosecutor appearing for the police submitted that charges must be framed against Mr. Singh and the co-accused for the offences mentioned in the charge sheet.

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