Navjot Singh Sidhu Meets Protesting Wrestlers, Asks Why FIR Against WFI Chief Was 'Delayed'

WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is in the eye of a storm after top Indian wrestlers levelled sexual harassment charges against him.

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday questioned why Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment charges by female wrestlers, wasn't arrested despite a case was registered against him under the 'non-bailable POCSO Act'. After meeting the protesting grapplers at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, Sidhu also questioned why the FIR against Singh was 'delayed'. The WFI chief, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, is in the eye of a storm after top Indian wrestlers levelled sexual harassment charges against him.

"To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice. Why was the FIR delayed? Not making the FIR public reflects that the FIR is mild and not corroborative to the complainant's complaint," Navjot Singh Sidhu said in a tweet. 

He added that the intent is 'questionable' and the 'motive' is to protect the accused.

"Are things being swept under the carpet? Why is the officer who delayed the FIR not being tried under Section 166 of IPC as he was duty bound to register an FIR which is mandatory in case of a cognizable offence as per Lalita Kumari vs Govt. of UP judgement of The Hon’ble Supreme Court?," the Congress leader asked.

He also said that with Brij Bhushan being at the helm of affairs, a fair investigation is 'impossible'.

The only way forward to a meaningful investigation and to uncover the truth is 'custodial interrogation', Sidhu said, and added that without it, a fair investigation is 'meaningless'. 

To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice !!! …. why was the FIR delayed ? ……. Not making the FIR public reflects that the FIR is mild and not corroborative to the complainant’s complaint….. intent is questionable and motive is to protect the accused……… pic.twitter.com/5ZXxE3AlfO — Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) May 1, 2023

A group of top wrestlers, who first levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Singh in January, resumed their sit-in on April 23 at the Jantar Mantar to demand that the findings of the Centre-appointed panel that probed the charges be made public.

It is notable that Singh has been booked under sections of outraging the modesty of a woman, stalking, and Section 10 of the POCSO Act in two FIRs.

Subsequently, two FIRs were filed against the BJP MP, the first pertaining to allegations levelled by a minor, which has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty.

The second FIR has been registered for carrying out comprehensive investigations into the complaints by adult complainants under relevant IPC sections pertaining to outraging of modesty.

Singh, however, has denied the charges against him.