Wrestlers Protest: Delhi Police File Chargesheet, Plea to Quash POCSO Charges
Delhi Police has filed a cancellation report to quash the POCSO charge levied against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
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Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet against Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) sidelined chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, at the Rouse Avenue Court today, 15 June. Singh is currently under investigation after wrestlers levied allegations of sexual harassment against him, whilst barring him, chargesheet has also been filed against the suspended assistant secretary of the federation, Vinod Tomar.
The 1500-page chargesheet was filed eight days after the protesting wrestlers met Sports Minister Anurag Thakur in his Delhi residence, wherein Thakur assured Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and others of the probe being completed by 15 June, and subsequently, the chargesheet being filed.
"In the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of investigation, we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) IPC against accused Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and when no express provision is made for its punishment)/ 354/354A/506 (punishment of criminal intimidation) IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the concerned Hon'ble Court," the spokesperson of Delhi Police, Suman Nalwa commented.
Police Files Chargesheet: All You Need To Know
Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against WFI's sidelined chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, at the Rouse Avenue Court on 15 June.
Singh is facing charges of sexual harassment and stalking.
Charges of criminal intimidation and abetment have been filed against the suspended WFI assistant secretary, Vinod Tomar.
22 June has been set as the next date of hearing regarding the chargesheet.
Delhi Police has also filed a cancellation report to quash the POCSO charges levied against Singh, in case of the alleged sexual harassment of a minor.
The next date of hearing regarding the cancellation report is 4 July.
Written notices have also been issued to wrestling federations of five countries, seeking information on Singh, with the police expected to file a supplementary chargesheet once they have response from all of the federations. The next date of hearing for the filed chargesheet has been set as 22 June.
The Quint reached out to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for his reaction, but the sidelined chief was not available for a comment, with his PA mentioning "At this point, he (Singh) will not be making any comments regarding this matter."
POCSO Case Quashed
A key detail emerging from the chargesheet is a cancellation report filed to quash the POCSO charges levied against Singh. Earlier, seven female wrestlers had lodged complaints against Singh, with one of them being a minor.
However, owing to lack of corroborative evidence, Delhi Police has filed a cancellation report in this regard. The next date of hearing on the matter has been finalised as 4 July.
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