Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh to face trial for sexual harassment of women wrestlers

A Delhi court on Friday framed charges of sexual harassment against the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh. He will now face trial for allegedly harassing five women wrestlers.

The charges against Brij Bhushan were framed by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot of the Rouse Avenue Court. The detailed order is awaited.

Sufficient material

In an open court, the judge said there was sufficient material on record to frame the accused for the offences punishable under Sections 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), with respect to five wrestlers who were named as Victim No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 by the court.

The court also observed that there was sufficient material on record to frame charges against Brij Bhushan for the offence punishable under Section 506(1) (criminal intimidation) with respect to two wrestlers.

Charges were also framed against Vinod Tomar, suspended assistant secretary of WFI, who is also an accused in this case for the offence of criminal intimidation against Victim No. 1.

The court has discharged him from the offence of abetment with regard to all the accused.

Protest for months

Many renowned wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, had protested for months in New Delhi last year, demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan for allegedly sexually harassing several women grapplers, including a minor.

The harassment took place between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, Brij Bhushan’s official residence, and also abroad, the victims alleged.

As the wrestlers’ protest continued for weeks, the sports ministry had constituted an oversight committee to internally investigate the matter.

The police filed an FIR against Brij Bhushan after the intervention of the Supreme Court in May 2023. In June, a 1,000-page chargesheet was filed at the Rouse Avenue court.

A minor wrestler, who too had protested against the former WFI president, later took back her complaint and changed the statement.

‘False and motivated’

During the hearing on framing of charges, Brij Bhushan maintained that the case was “false and motivated”.

Sakshi, who was at the forefront of the wrestlers’ protest in Jantar Mantar, said all the women wrestlers were happy that charges have been framed against Brij Bhushan and Tomar.

Calling it a “big milestone” in the wrestlers’ 18-month struggle, Sakshi said the protest started in January 2023 on the streets and ended in court.

“We have full faith in the judiciary, and look forward to a fair trial and justice being meted out to us,” said Sakshi.