Delhi Police has registered two cases against the chief of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh He was accused of sexual harassment by the country’s top wrestlers.
The Delhi Police, which functions under Amit Shah’s Home Ministry, registered two First Information Reports (FIRs) hours after the Supreme Court ordered it to do so. Protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar by wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat.
One of the FIRs is on a complaint of sexual assault by a minor, registered under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, which has no scope for bail.
Sources said that the Delhi Police will actively pursue the matter.
Mr Singh, who is also a BJP MP, welcomed the Supreme Court’s order to register a police case against him on allegations of sexual harassment.
Singh told reporters that the wrestlers should have waited for the report of the committee constituted to investigate the matter before sitting on a dharna at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
“I am happy with the decision of the judiciary. Delhi Police will investigate the allegations and I am ready to cooperate with them in every possible way. No one is bigger than the judiciary in this country. The order to register the FIR has come (earlier Information report). The government had also said that it had no objection to the registration of the FIR. I am not above the Supreme Court. I welcome the order,” Mr Singh told reporters.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had constituted the committee to probe the allegations against the WFI and its chief. The committee, which was asked to submit a report to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, submitted it on April 5. But the ministry is yet to make public the findings of the six-member committee.
“When the inspection committee was constituted, I did not raise any objection, ask any question or create obstruction. I have followed the law. They (wrestlers) should have waited for the report. But they didn’t. They went in the Supreme Court. I follow the law, but it seems they don’t,” Mr Singh told reporters today.
“I welcome every decision. One step taken by the government, one step to set up a monitoring committee and I welcome the latest decision (of the Supreme Court) because I have not done anything wrong against anyone,” he said. “
Despite assurances of police action, the wrestlers said they would continue with their sit-in demanding the “immediate arrest” of the WFI chief.
The wrestlers said, “We respect the Supreme Court order, but we don’t trust the Delhi Police. This fight is not for the FIR. This fight is for punishing people like him. He should be in jail and His portfolios should be taken away.” Said.