NEW DELHI: A court here on Tuesday sought a response from the ‘victim’ and the complainant on the final report filed by Delhi Police seeking cancellation of a case against BJP MP and outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of a minor wrestler, the lawyer for the prosecution said.
Additional Sessions Judge Chhavi Kapoor issued notice to the two during in-chamber proceedings and directed them to file their response to the police report by August 1, when the court will further hear the matter. “The judge issued notice and adjourned the matter,” special public prosecutor Atul Srivastava said.
Delhi police had on June 15 recommended dropping of POCSO charges against Singh but charged him with sexual harassment and stalking six women wrestlers.
The police had recommended the cancellation of the complaint filed by the minor wrestler against Singh, citing “no corroborative evidence”. The police submitted a report based upon the statements of the complainant, who is the father of the minor, and the girl herself, a statement issued by Delhi Police had said. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) entails a minimum imprisonment of three years, depending on what section the crime falls in.
However, the court may take a call on whether to accept the police’s closure report or direct further investigation. The government had earlier assured the agitating wrestlers including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and fellow Olympian Vinesh Phogat that the charge sheet would be filed by June 15, following which they had suspended their stir.
They were demanding Singh’s arrest on allegations of sexual harassment of seven wrestlers, including
the minor. Singh, who is a BJP MP, has denied all the charges. The 17-year-old minor wrestler who accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual misconduct had withdrawn her allegations on June 6.
Her father claimed that he had deliberately filed a false complaint since he held a grudge against Singh for his ‘biased attitude’.
