Minor wrestler's father reveals he filed false sexual harassment complaint against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

He also admitted that he was seeking revenge over a match loss.

A day after Sports Minister Anurag Thakur met the protesting wrestlers and assured that the investigation against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will be fair and will be completed by June 15, a new controversy has been unfolded in the matter.

In a shocking u-turn, the father of a minor wrestler, who had accused Brij Bhushan of molestation and sexual harassment, has revealed that he had filed a false complaint of sexual harassment against the WFI chief because he was seeking revenge for an apparent injustice against his daughter in U-17 selection trials last year.

According to a report from PTI, the father revealed that he deliberately filed a false police complaint as he was enraged after his daughter failed to make the national team following a defeat in the final of the U-17 Asian Championships selection trials last year.

"One-year hard work had gone down the drain," the father was quoted as saying when asked why he was upset. Recalling that final bout he also added, "The match was against a Delhi wrestler. The UWW and WFI rules were not followed (in the bout). I have no grudge against the Delhi wrestler. She is also like my daughter but the referee who was also from Delhi deliberately defeated my daughter."

He also insisted that he blamed Brij Bhushan for that defeat since it was the wrestling federation, of which Brij Bhushan was the chief, that appointed referee. "Who is the head of the federation? So who I will be angry with?" the minor wrestler's father told PTI.

However, the father explained that he has now had a change of heart and feels "It's better that the truth comes out now instead of in the court." He also added that he made a U-turn on the allegations against the WFI chief since the government promised that the particular match will be looked at and that an investigation will be held.

"Now that interactions have started, the government has promised fair enquiry into my daughter's defeat (in U-17 Asian Championships trials) last year, so it is also my duty to rectify my mistake. It's better that things become clear now instead of in the court. When I was talking to the Federation, they also agreed that a wrong decision was made and promised action. They had refused (action) at that time."

Two FIRs were filed by the Delhi Police against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh; IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 34 (common intention), and the second one, based on the minor’s father’s complaint, also invokes Section 10 of the POCSO Act.

In a recent development, international wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik met the sports minister on June 7th who assured to complete the investigation before June 15. The government also agreed to remove the FIR filed against wrestlers. Punia after talks said if the investigation is not finished before the stipulated time given, then the protest will continue to move on.