The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi ordered the ‘framing of charges’ against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP on Friday in the sexual harassment case filed against him by six women wrestlers.
The official framing of charges will take place on May 21 after the court listed the matter for that date.
The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot said that there is sufficient material against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to go ahead with the sexual harassment allegations involving five women wrestlers.
However, the BJP MP was acquitted by the court for sexual harassment charges leveled by the sixth wrestler. While framing charges against the sitting Kaiserganj MP, the court noted that charges have also been framed against him under the Section 506 (part 1) based on the allegations leveled by two women.
The court further ordered the framing of charges for criminal intimidation (Section 506 of IPC) and using force to outrage the modesty of women against the former WFI president.
The court said, “Charges were framed against Brij Bhushan under sections 354 (outraging a woman's modesty) and 354A (sexual harassment) in respect of each victim.”
Moreover, the Delhi court also ordered the framing of charges against ex-WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar under Section 506 of the IPC for sexual harassment in the case filed by women wrestlers.
Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh reacted to the court’s order to frame charges against him saying, “Prima facie the court has framed the charges today. Except for one case, they have framed charges in the remaining cases. I welcome the decision of the judiciary and now doors have opened for me...”
Previously, Brij Bhushan Singh had sought a direction to place the CDR of coach Vijender regarding an alleged incident that occurred at the WFI office in New Delhi on record. He claimed that he was not in Delhi on the said date. He was in Serbia on September 7, 2022.
Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet in the case against Brij Bhushan Singh, a six-time MP, on June 15 under sections 354, 354 A, 354 D and 506 pertaining to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation, respectively.
