Delhi Police have charged Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former head of the Wrestling Federation of India and current Member of Parliament from the ruling party BJP, with various sexual offences including assault, sexual harassment and stalking. Vinod Tomar, the former federation secretary, has been charged with assault and sexual harassment and also abetment and intimidation.
However, the police have sought cancellation of the POCSO case involving the minor complainant “based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself”.
The chargesheet, submitted by Delhi Police today in a Delhi court, is based on the complaints filed by several wrestlers.
It follows an assurance given by the sports minister, Anurag Thakur, after a meeting with the wrestlers on June 7 that the chargesheet would be filed by June 15.
The wrestlers’ protests against Singh, which began in January of this year and resumed once more in April, reached a dramatic climax on May 28, when Bajrang, Sakshi, Vinesh and their supporters were forcibly detained during a protest march that coincided with the inauguration of the new Parliament.
It led to the trio then announcing their intentions to dispose of their Olympic, World Championship, Asian and Commonwealth Games medals in the Ganga river at Haridwar, as well as a ‘fast-unto-death’ at India Gate. However, with the leaders of the farmers’ union and khap panchayats intervening, the wrestlers were convinced against immersing their medals, with five days sought to seek justice.
United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body of wrestling also released a statement condemning the treatment of India’s wrestlers while also threatening a ban of the WFI unless new elections were held. The International Olympic Council (IOC) also released a statement in support of the wrestlers and urged the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to safeguard their athletes.
Top Indian athletes like Neeraj Chopra and Sunil Chhetri as well as members of India’s 1983 Cricket World Cup winning teams also expressed their support for the wrestlers during their protest.
