New Delhi: The Delhi Police has reached out to wrestling federations in five nations, requesting CCTV footage and information related to allegations of sexual harassment made by top Indian wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The FIR, lodged on April 21, claimed that the wrestlers experienced harassment during tournaments held in Indonesia, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan.
Although the notices were dispatched promptly after the filing of the FIR against Bhushan, the matter has recently gained attention. “We had written to different federations within a week of lodging the FIRs, and some of them have already responded. I am not sure why this issue is being raised again,” stated a senior Delhi police official.
In parallel, the Delhi Police is actively working on preparing a chargesheet to be filed in court by June 15. So far, over 200 individuals, including the protesting wrestlers, coaches, referees, and colleagues of Bhushan at the WFI, have provided their statements to the police. The investigation is progressing, and efforts are being made to gather substantial evidence.
The Delhi Police has reportedly asked two women wrestlers, who accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP MP, of inappropriate touching under the pretext of checking their breathing, to provide photographic, audio, and video evidence to substantiate their claims. On Sunday, four out of the six female athletes presented audio and visual evidence supporting their allegations.
The wrestlers, who have been protesting against Singh since April 23, are demanding his immediate arrest in light of the sexual harassment charges. The protest was temporarily halted after receiving assurance from Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on June 7 that a chargesheet will be filed against Singh by June 15.
However, the protesting wrestlers are beginning to sense that the arrest of the WFI chief may not happen in the immediate future. The situation continues to unfold as the Delhi Police intensifies its investigation and awaits crucial evidence from multiple sources.
It is important to note that all individuals involved should be given a fair opportunity to present their side of the story, and the legal process should be allowed to take its course to ensure a thorough and unbiased investigation into the allegations.
Sources By Agencies