Brij Bhushan Singh, former BJP MP and ex-president of the Indian Wrestling Federation, the Delhi High Court has dismissed his petition to quash a sexual harassment case against him. After a thorough hearing, Justice Neena Bansal delivered the verdict, rejecting Singh’s plea.
Singh had initially approached the High Court seeking to quash the FIR, chargesheet, and the lower court’s order regarding the sexual harassment charges filed by women wrestlers. During the hearing, Delhi Police, however, challenged the maintainability of Singh’s plea. Singh’s lawyer argued that the case involved six complainants with a “hidden agenda” and that the incidents in question occurred at different times and locations, suggesting a conspiracy. Nevertheless, the court did not find these arguments convincing.
As a result, Justice Bansal instructed Singh’s lawyer to submit a brief on the matter, with the next hearing scheduled for September 26.
The case traces back to January of the previous year when 30 wrestlers, led by stars Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, protested against Brij Bhushan Singh. They accused him of mismanaging the Wrestling Federation of India and sexually harassing female wrestlers and coaches. Subsequently, the protests, which included Punia returning his medal, ended only after an FIR was filed against Singh. The legal proceedings in this case continue, with Singh’s tenure as the federation’s president having ended last year.