Wrestlers vs Brij Bhushan: Chargesheet elaborates minute details of sexual harassment

The Delhi Police in its chargesheet against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh have claimed that be it India or abroad, the powerful politician sexually harassed women wrestlers on multiple occasions.

The 1599-page chargesheet, accessed by IANS, highlights a specific incident of "inappropriate sexual contact" that occurred in a hotel dining area in Mongolia back in 2016. Two witnesses confirmed that they saw the alleged act committed by Singh, supporting the victim's statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Thus the chargesheet asserts that Singh has committed an offence under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty.

The victim, referred as "grappler (1)" in the charge sheet, alleges that Singh harassed her on seven separate occasions. This includes instances of physical sexual assault on five occasions and sexual advances on one occasion.

The chargesheet deems these allegations as a continuous pattern of harassment over a period of 6-7 years, supported by the victim's statement under Section 164 of the CrPC. It further asserts that this behaviour constitutes stalking, thus making an offence under Section 354D of the IPC.

Additionally, the chargesheet also addresses the allegations made by "grappler (2)" regarding an incident of indecent sexual contact during a group photograph at the Asian Championship held at the SAI Centre in Lucknow. The witness corroborated the victim's statement, leading the chargesheet to declare an offence under Section 354 of the IPC.

Similarly, the chargesheet supports the allegations made by "grappler (3)" regarding an incident of inappropriate sexual contact in Sofia, Bulgaria. The witness, along with the victim's statement and technical evidence such as photographs, further strengthens the case. Consequently, an offence under Section 354 of the IPC is established in the chargesheet.

Regarding the incident at the WFI Office, where the accused allegedly made sexual advances against the victim by seeking sexual favours, the chargesheet considers the victim's testimony as evidence. This incident is treated as private and is corroborated by a witness who overheard the victim recounting the incident. As a result, an offence under Section 354A of the IPC, which pertains to making sexually coloured remarks, is established in the chargesheet.

The chargesheet also addresses the allegations made by "grappler (4)" during the Asian Wrestling Championship in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The incident, reported to have occurred in seclusion without any mention of other witnesses, is treated as a private incident. The victim's testimony, supported by two individuals who heard the victim narrating her ordeal, leads to the establishment of an offence under Section 354 of the IPC, the chargesheet said.

Furthermore, the chargesheet confirms the allegations made by "grappler (5)" regarding an incident in Kazakhstan where the accused "forcibly hugged" the victim in 2012. The victim's testimony, along with supporting witnesses, strengthens the case, resulting in an offence under Section 354 of the IPC.

Lastly, the chargesheet mentions the allegations made by "grappler (6)" regarding an incident of inappropriate sexual contact and sexual advances in Bellary, Karnataka in 2021. The victim's deposition under section 164 of the CrPC supports these allegations, leading to an offence under Sections 354/354A of the IPC, as per the charge sheet.