Brij Bhushan Sexual Harrasment Case: Court To Begin Trial Against Former WFI Chief, Summons Prosecution Witnesses

NEW DELHI: The Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday directed to begin trial and recording statement of prosecution witnesses in an alleged sexual harrasment case against former MP and former WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan and Vinod Tomar from July 26. Additional Chief judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Priyanka Rajpoot on Thursday issued summons to two prosecution witnesses for July 26.

Meanwhile, advocate Rajiv Mohan counsel for Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh withdrew the application seeking direction to certain documents related to foreign travel and stay in hotels by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, CDR etc. with a liberty to file a fresh application with details of authorities. The court on May 21 formally framed the charges against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar. They denied all the allegations and claimed trial. The court had given a direction to frame charges against them on May 10.

The Court on May 10 ordered on 'framing of charge' on Sexual Harrasment allegations levelled by several women wrestlers against former WFI Chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Singh and Tomar. While passing the order, the court had said there are sufficient material against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to proceed for sexual harassment of five women wrestlers and with the offence of outraging modesty of woman.

Court found sufficient material to proceed with against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh under sections 354 and 354 A (IPC). Charges has also been framed against him under section 506 (part 1) on the allegations of two women. However, the court discharged Brij Bhushan from the allegations made by the sixth wrestler, said the court.

The court also framed charges against second accused Vinod Tomar under sections 506 (part 1) of the IPC on the allegation of one women and discharged him with the rest allegations made against him. The Delhi Police chargesheet filed against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar stated that both the accused are charge sheeted for trial 'without arrest' as they have complied with the directions u/s 41A CrPC by joining the investigation.

The chargesheet has further stated that based on the investigation so far, Brij Bhushan Singh was "liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences" of sexual harassment, molestation and stalking. A 1599-page chargesheet in the case, having statements of 44 witnesses and six statements was recorded under CrPC 164.

Delhi Police in the chargesheet also submitted several pictures including the picture clicked during the events. Delhi Police chargesheet stated that based on the "investigation so far," of the complaints by six top wrestlers, Singh was "liable to be prosecuted and punished for offences" of sexual harassment, molestation and stalking.

The chargesheet stated that witnesses in the matter have mentioned that they also saw the physically wrong gesture of the then WFI president.
Delhi police had filed a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar on June 15, 2023. Thereafter the court took cognizance of the FIR filed by Delhi Police.

This case was lodged on a complaint lodged by women wrestlers. In the wrestlers' matter, two FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan Singh based on the wrestlers' complaints on April 28. One was registered under the POCSO Act and a cancellation report has been filed in the case of a minor wrestler. The second FIR was filed on the complaint of several wrestlers.

In both matters, Delhi Police officials had said that in the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of investigation, we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354, 354A, 354D IPC against accused Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the Rouse Avenue Court, said Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.