Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh gets temporary bail in sexual harassment scandal
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the outgoing head of the Wrestling Federation of India and a BJP MP, who is under scrutiny for sexual harassment allegations by numerous women wrestlers, has secured a temporary bail for two days from the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi.
The following bail hearing is scheduled for July 20 at 12:30 pm at the same court. The court expressed queries regarding Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s bail to Delhi Police, who responded that the defendant hasn’t interacted with any witnesses.
Additionally, Vinod Tomar, the currently suspended assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India, has also been granted bail. Both the accused had been summoned to the court and sought bail in the case, with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh providing a personal bond of ₹ 25,000.
The women wrestlers who accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh have expressed doubts regarding the impartiality of the panel overseeing the sexual harassment allegations. The panel, comprising six members and headed by acclaimed Indian boxer MC Mary Kom, had prepared a report but its contents remain undisclosed. Despite being incriminated in a charge sheet by the Delhi Police, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has chosen not to resign from his post.
Temporary bail granted to Wrestling Federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Image courtesy of BestGraphics_Com from Pixabay.
The chargesheet prepared by the Delhi Police after a comprehensive investigation is reported to be 1000 pages long. It contains testimonies from over 100 individuals, with 15 of these supporting the wrestlers’ allegations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The charges against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a six-time MP, include assault, sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation.
The court also addressed claims of a media trial made by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s counsel. The judge suggested that the counsel could submit an application concerning this issue to the high court or trial court, and assured that an appropriate order would be issued on this application. No such application has, however, been submitted by the counsel yet.
In addition to the ongoing case, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh also faces another FIR lodged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, based on accusations by a minor wrestler. This wrestler is one of the seven who have lodged complaints against Singh. Despite this, Delhi Police have requested the POCSO case be dropped, citing a lack of evidence.