New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Friday filed two FIRs against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brijbhushan Sharan Singh (Brijbhushan Sharan Singh) in the allegation of sexual harassment filed by seven women wrestlers in the Supreme Court on Friday. One of the two FIRs filed by the Connaught Place police has been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO) along with other related sections. While the second FIR is related to another allegation. Delhi Police DCP Pranav Tyagi said that two teams of Delhi Police will investigate the allegations in this case. The Delhi Police told the Supreme Court today that they will register an FIR in this matter. On April 21, 7 women wrestlers, including a minor, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Brij Bhushan. When the case was not registered, the wrestlers approached the Supreme Court.
Next hearing on May 17
Appearing for the Delhi Police this morning, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha that the FIR would be registered on Friday. He told the bench that we have decided to lodge an FIR. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the wrestlers, said the women wrestlers should be provided security and retired judges should oversee the case. On this petition, the court has ordered the Delhi Police to provide security. The court has asked the police to file an affidavit by next Friday and state what steps they have taken. The next hearing will be held on May 17.
I will follow the law : Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
On the one hand, the Delhi Police assured to lodge an FIR in the Supreme Court and after the press conference held by the wrestlers, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said that I will follow the law, I have been doing so since. The case is with the Supreme Court, I am not going to run away, I am at my home. I welcome whatever decision the court has taken today. I have full faith in the Supreme Court decision and the police investigation process. Wherever my cooperation is required in the investigation, I will cooperate.
I will resign but not as a criminal: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
After the Delhi Police assured to file an FIR in the Supreme Court, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said that if the protesting wrestlers accept my resignation, I will give it. But, I will not resign as a criminal. Now he will also say that his tenure is over, what will happen with his resignation. If these players get off the strike and go back home, practice, I will send them my resignation.
Let it be known that the top wrestlers of the country who are protesting against the allegations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation at Jantarmantar today are Olympics gold medalists Neeraj Chopra, Abhinav Bindra, Nikhat Zareen, Sania Mirza, Rani Rampal along with former cricketers Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Irfan Pathan and Madanlal got support.
Neeraj Chopra and Abhinav Bindra have demanded swift action from the authorities to ensure justice. Neeraj and Sehwag almost identically tweeted that it is painful for wrestlers to be forced to take to the streets for justice. This is a very sensitive matter and should be investigated impartially. Nikhat said that my heart is broken to see our wrestlers in this condition. Sania wrote that it is much harder for me to see this as a woman than as an athlete.
The Delhi Police’s decision to file an FIR on Friday against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh was hailed as the first step towards victory by the wrestlers protesting at Jantar-Mantar here. However, he also said that he will continue his protest until the Bharatiya Janata Party MPs are removed from all their posts. “This is the first step towards victory, but our protest will continue,” Sakshi Malik told reporters at the Jantar-Mantar. The wrestlers put up a huge banner at the Jantar-Mantar listing all the criminal proceedings against Brij Bhushan. Vinesh Phogat said the Delhi Police took six days to register the FIR and he did not trust the investigating agency, they might have registered a weak FIR. We will see it first and then make our decision.
The dharna demonstration brought a heavy burden on the pockets of the wrestlers who took to the streets for justice
The fight at Jantar-Mantar has put a heavy burden on the pockets of the wrestlers protesting for justice, however, the wrestlers are all set to continue this dharna demonstration against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for a long time. In five days, he has spent more than ₹ five lakh to arrange mattresses, sheets, fans, speakers and microphones, mini power gen-sets, apart from water and food.
Initially, they provided mattresses, sheets and a sound system at a daily cost of Rs. 27000, but soon realized that if they had to sit for a long time, managing even small things would become a huge financial burden. Vinesh Phogat’s husband Somveer Rathi told PTI about this that we decided to buy mattresses. I bought 80 mattresses from my village Kharghoda paying ₹ 50,000. Initially, we hired speakers and microphones, but the cost for a day was ₹ 12,000. It was too much. Now we bought our own sound system from Chandni Chowk market for ₹ 60,000. Some items like fans and generators are still on rent at a combined amount of 10,000 a day. He said we will buy a cooler if needed. It is very hot there.
