Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and BJP MP, along with his co-accused Vinod Tomar, the former WFI assistant secretary, were granted interim bail for two days by the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. This bail pertains to a case involving the alleged sexual harassment of several wrestlers.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal, while granting the bail, instructed Singh to submit bail bonds amounting to Rs 25,000. The court is set to hear arguments on his regular bail plea from July 20, 2023.
Singh’s legal representation, Rajiv Mohan, raised concerns during the hearing about an alleged media trial, to which the judge suggested he could lodge an application before the high court or trial court.
A Delhi court had summoned Singh following the acknowledgment of a comprehensive 1500-page charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police. This document included allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and stalking against six female wrestlers. The charge sheet, which brought together testimonies from the six wrestlers, witness statements, and technical evidence like photographs, videos, and call detail records, also implicated Tomar.
In April, seven female wrestlers, one of them a minor, lodged separate complaints against Singh, alleging sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. These complaints highlighted 15 instances of harassment, including inappropriate touching and several episodes of intimidation and stalking.
However, the minor and her father later retracted their allegations against Singh in a new statement to a magistrate. Consequently, the Delhi Police filed a cancellation report under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
