NEW DELHI: The Delhi police on Wednesday filed its written submissions in a court enunciating its stand on whether to frame charges on the wrestlers' sexual harassment case against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP Parliamentarian Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Additional public prosecutor Atul Srivastav, representing the cops, filed the arguments as the case based on the complaint by six female wrestlers against Singh taken up before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal at Rouse Avenue Court in the city.
The cops' submission came following the arguments of the defence counsel for the accused. Complainants had filed their written submissions on November 28 and the matter will again be taken up on December 20 for clarification on framing of charges.
"Matter is listed for filing of written submissions on behalf of the prosecution. Filed. Copy supplied. List on December 20, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. for clarifications, if any," the court said in the order.
Singh appeared before the court in person with co-accused Vinod Tomar, the suspended assistant secretary of WFI
The cops had submitted that the alleged molestation of those wrestlers took place at different locations in the country and abroad as per survivor and witness statements.
Singh, in a previous hearing, had argued that "Hugging...touching a woman without criminal force or sexual intent is not an offence."
He also argued "material contradictions" in prosecution witnesses, saying it can take the case away from "grave suspicion" to only "mere suspicion."
In a previous hearing, Adv Rajiv Mohan, appearing for Singh argued that "the statements of the prosecution witnesses, that itself calls for discharge of the accused as the contradictions have the effect of taking the case away from the arena of grave suspicion, towards only mere suspicion."
The allegations by the female grapplers against accused persons pertain to various incidents of sexual harassment, spread over ten years, at various places, in and outside of India.
In Singh's case, the court had earlier taken cognisance of the offences committed under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually coloured remarks) and 354D (stalking), 506 (para 1) (criminal intimidation) and 109 (abetment to offense) of the Indian Penal Code while initiating further proceedings as per the law.
The sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a six-time MP, was moved by a group of woman wrestlers followed by massive protests backed by the country's top wrestlers including Olympic medallists like Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia.