Outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh appeared before a Delhi court on Tuesday in the wrestlers sexual harassment case and got interim bail.
Singh has been accused by six women wrestlers of sexual harassment and the Delhi Police has charged him with sexual harassment and stalking.
The court granted two-days interim bail to Singh in the case. The case's next hearing is on Thursday (July 20).
For months, top Indian wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Poonia protested against Singh, who is also a Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After weeks of protests, the Delhi Police in April registered two FIRs in the case. One was registered under the sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the allegations of women wrestlers and the second was registered under the sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the allegations of a minor wrestlers.
"Both the FIRs spoke of several alleged instances of sexual harassment like inappropriate touching, groping, stalking and intimidation by Singh at different times and places over a decade," reported PTI.
Depsite months of protests by wrestlers and the handling of the case by authorities, Singh was never arrested in the case. He has continued to reject the allegations against him.
In June, the police filed charge sheet against Singh and charged him with sexual harassment and stalking. The police also charged co-accused Vinod Tomar, a suspended Assistant Secretary of WFI, for abetment, criminal intimidation, sexual harassment, and stalking. Tomar also appeared before the court on Tuesday and was granted interim bail.
The police sought the cancellation of the second case against Singh under POCSO Act, however, as the complainant had withdrawn the case.
"In the POCSO matter, after the completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173, CrPC, requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon the statements of the complainant i.e the father of the victim and the victim herself," said Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa at the time.
Singh's counsel alleged media trail, to which the judge said he may move an application before the high court or trial court, reported PTI, adding that the judge further said that the court will pass an appropriate order on the application. The counsel did not move any such application.
