NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday granted exemption from personal appearance for a day to outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a case of alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal granted the relief to Singh on an application moved by his lawyer, who told the court that the accused was unable to appear before it as he was discharging his responsibilities as a parliamentarian. “Submissions heard, record perused. Allowed for today only,” the judge said after hearing the plea by Singh’s advocate.
However, co-accused in the case and suspended WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar appeared before the court. The court also granted time for both the accused persons to peruse the charge sheet and other documents they have received from Delhi police.
“It is submitted that some more time be given for scrutiny of documents considering the voluminous nature of the record. Not objected to by the prosecution. Allowed as requested,” the judge ordered posting the matter for further hearing on August 3.
The court earlier granted regular bail to Singh and Tomar. In Singh’s case, the same court took cognisance of the offences committed under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (coloured remarks) and 354D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 109 (abetment to offence) of the IPC while asking him and Tomar to appear before the court.
Co-accused Tomar was charge-sheeted for offences under sections 109 (abetment of any offence, if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 354, 354-A and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The Delhi Police, during the hearing, submitted that the court may try the accused as per law and impose certain conditions if relief was granted.