Delhi Police seeks report from probe panel, wrestler reaches Supreme Court for FIR
Delhi Police has sought a report from the probe committee set up by the Ministry of Sports to investigate the sexual harassment allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a senior officer said on Monday.
The officer said that so far seven complaints have been received against Singh and all of them are being investigated. The officer added that an FIR will be registered after concrete evidence comes to light, he said.
“As part of inquiry, we have sought a report from the probe committee set up by Sports Ministry to look into the allegations of sexual harassment allegations levelled against WFI chief,” he said.
Meanwhile, NDTV reported that the wrestlers, who resumed their protest on Sunday, approached the Supreme Court on Monday for the filing of the FIR.
“India’s top wrestlers today approached the Supreme Court seeking a fair probe into the sexual harassment complaints against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers, protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, say that they will remain at the protest site till police file an FIR in the case,” reported NDTV.
Some of the protesting wrestlers are Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia, Commonwealth Games golds medallist Vinesh Phogat, and Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik — all of whom are among the most accomplished Indian wrestlers.
In January, when the issue was first raised, the protest was called off after the Sports Ministry set up a committee to investigate the matter. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had announced the five-member oversight committee, headed by boxer MC Mary Kom, to look into allegations against Singh, a BJP leader and a muscleman with criminal history. However, no FIR has so far been filed in the matter.
On Sunday, wrestlers resumed their protests in Delhi and returned to returned to the protest site at Jantar Mantar.
What are the wrestlers demanding?
Top Indian wrestlers, such as Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, returned to the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday to demand that the government make public the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The wrestlers had in January raised the issue, but ended their three-day long sit-in after marathon talks with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who had announced the five-member oversight committee, headed by boxer MC Mary Kom to look into the allegations.
“How long is it going to take for the (government) committee to submit its report? It has already been three months and we are still waiting to hear from them. Will the report come out after the girls, who have filed complaints, die?” questioned world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat.
“We are tired of asking the government to release the findings… We have nothing to do with the (WFI) election process. We are more concerned about our careers. The (Paris) Olympics are upon us and we want to begin preparations in right earnest,” she added.
Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik said, “We will not budge from Jantar Mantar” adding that “this fight will not stop”.
Delhi Commission for Women raises the issue
The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) on Sunday said it has received a complaint from the women wrestlers alleging that they had given a written complaint to the city police two days back, but no FIR had not been registered till now.
The complainant informed the Commission that several women wrestlers, including a minor, had alleged that Singh sexually harassed them during his tenure at the WFI.
She also said that a complaint was filed at the Connaught Place police station on April 21.
She claimed that no action has been taken by the Station House Officer (SHO), Connaught Place police station on the complaint. She also said that when she called the SHO to enquire about the status of the complaint on April 22, she was informed by him that no FIR had been filed and that action shall be taken on the complaint post Monday.
The complainant also alleged that when she asked him for assurance that the FIR shall be filed by Monday, he answered that he could not guarantee it, according to the DCW.
A senior police officer said they have received seven complaints so far. He said some of the complaints pertain to Delhi and some from outside the city.
“We are conducting an inquiry. No FIR has been registered yet,” he said.
The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) also noted that they have been informed that some of the complainants and their family members had started getting phone calls from an IPS officer posted in the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) enquiring about the identities of the complainants.
Meanwhile, the panel has issued notice to the Delhi Police in the matter and sought an action taken report by April 25. The Commission has sought a copy of the FIR and asked the police to explain the reasons for delay in registration of FIR.
“The wrestlers who are agitating have won medals for the country in Olympics and CWG. They have hoisted the tricolour abroad. Today, when they are protesting, even their food and water is being stopped. Are their demands wrong?” tweeted DCW chief Swati Maliwal in Hindi.
The panel also sought details of security provided to the complainants along with details of the persons who allegedly shared the information regarding the matter with officials from the Department of Sports.
(With PTI inputs)
