Sexual harassment case: Delhi court reserves order on framing charges against Brij Bhushan

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday reserved its order on whether to frame charges against former WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case filed against him by women wrestlers.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot heard the submissions made by the complainants, the Delhi Police as well as the accused, also including Vinod Tomar, and reserved the order for March 15.

Tomar is the former assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

During the arguments, the complainants and the police told the court that there was sufficient evidence against the accused persons to put them on trial.

The Delhi Police opposed the contention of the accused that since some of the alleged incidents had occurred overseas, they do not fall within the jurisdiction of courts in Delhi.

Police submitted the incidents of sexual harassment, allegedly committed by Singh, overseas and in India, including Delhi, are part of the same offence.

Meanwhile, Singh sought to be discharged in the case, claiming delay in reporting the alleged offence and contradiction in the statements of the complainants.

The counsel appearing for Singh told the court the incidents were alleged to have taken place in 2012 but were reported to police in 2023.

The city police had filed a charge sheet in the case against Singh, a six-time MP, on June 15, 2023 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.