NEW DELHI: The high court on Friday sought the response of the Delhi government regarding an application filed by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, seeking an early hearing of his plea to quash criminal proceedings in sexual harassment cases lodged against him by female grapplers.
Besides expedited hearing, Singh also urged the court to stay the ongoing criminal trial until his quashing petition is decided. Vinod Tomar, former WFI assistant secretary and co-accused in the case for allegedly intimidating a wrestler, has similarly sought the same relief.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri, who took up the matter briefly, questioned the urgency behind the early hearing request, asking, “What is the ground of the early hearing application? That one witness has been examined in trial.”
Following the discussion, the court issued a notice in the matter.
The Delhi government’s standing counsel, Sanjeev Bhandari, accepted the notice, with the next hearing scheduled for December 16.
The criminal proceedings stem from allegations made by six wrestlers against Brij Bhushan, accusing him of sexual harassment.
In June 2023, the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against him, invoking charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506(1) (criminal intimidation).
In May 2024, a Delhi court found sufficient grounds to frame charges against Bhushan, while Tomar was also charged with criminal intimidation against one of the wrestlers.
Bhushan, however, has sought to quash the criminal proceedings, arguing that the trial has caused him undue hardship. In his fresh application, Singh highlighted that his quashing plea is scheduled to be heard in January 2025, while the trial continues with weekly hearings.
He expressed concern that the trial may conclude by the time his petition is heard, urging the court to expedite the process to prevent potential prejudice against him.
The case against Brij Bhushan
The criminal proceedings stem from allegations made by six wrestlers against Bhushan, accusing him of sexual harassment. Brij Bhushan has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 354A (sexual harassment).