Delhi Court defers framing charges against former WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Singh in sexual harassment case

Order on framing charges reserved, Court to announce decision on April 26.

A Delhi court on Thursday postponed framing charges against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh in a high-profile sexual harassment case involving six female wrestlers. The deferral comes after Singh’s legal team submitted an application seeking further examination into his claims of being overseas on one of the dates when the alleged harassment took place.

The litigation stems from allegations leveled by six accomplished wrestlers last year, who accused Singh of sexual exploitation. Singh, a 67-year-old parliamentary representative from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj, has vehemently denied the charges.

During Thursday’s hearing before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot, Singh’s counsel contended that their client was not present in Delhi on September 7, 2022 – one of the key dates cited in the chargesheet. They demanded a thorough probe into Singh’s travel records and called for the Delhi Police to furnish his Call Detail Records (CDRs) to corroborate his absence from the country.

“I (Singh) am seeking direction to Delhi Police to investigate the issue. The dates on which the offence isalleged are not clear. This has a bearing on the stage of charge. If I am not there when the offence is being alleged against me, my plea of alibi will come in”, the Counsel argued.

Atul Srivastava, the public prosecutor representing the Delhi Police, vehemently opposed the application, labeling it a “strategic delaying tactic” to prolong the legal proceedings.

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The complainants’ legal team echoed similar sentiments, accusing Singh’s camp of employing dilatory tactics. They argued that all relevant documentation should have been procured earlier in accordance with Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which governs the communication of evidence to the accused.

Amid the heated courtroom exchanges, Judge Rajpoot reserved her ruling on Singh’s application and scheduled the matter for a hearing on April 26.

The case has garnered significant national attention, with the six complainants – comprising some of India’s most decorated wrestlers – accusing Singh of offenses ranging from sexual harassment and stalking to criminal intimidation.

In June 2023, the Delhi Police filed a detailed chargesheet against Singh under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506 (criminal intimidation), paving the way for the court proceedings.

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