A Delhi court has ordered the framing of sexual harassment charges against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The development comes more than a year after top wrestlers levelled sexual exploitation and intimidation charges against the six-time BJP MP. Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in the case in June last year.
“Prima facie the court has framed the charges today. Except for one case, they have framed charges in the remaining cases. I welcome the decision of the judiciary and now doors have opened for me…” the former WFI chief said.
Charges will be framed formally on May 21 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot said there was “sufficient evidence to frame charges”.
The court however discharged Singh in a complaint filed by one of the six women wrestlers.
Reacting to the development, star grapplers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia welcomed the decision.
“This is a big victory for the struggle of women wrestlers. The daughters of the country have had to go through such difficult times, but this decision will provide relief. Those who trolled women wrestlers should also be ashamed. Satyamev Jayate,” tweeted Punia.
“…We thank the honorable court. We had to sleep on the streets for many nights in the heat and rain, had to give up on our stable careers, only then have we been able to take a few steps forward in the fight for justice. Heartfelt gratitude to those who showered love and blessings and may God bless those who trolled and said bad things. Long live Mother India,” added a post from Malik.
