NEW DELHI: The impasse involving the Indian wrestlers is simply not receding or heading to a legal and favourable conclusion.
However, in a recent development, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been booked under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 34 (common intention).
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He has also been booked under Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
This development came after an FIR was filed by the wrestlers alleging sexual harassment against the WFI chief.
In the FIR filed with the police, the wrestlers have shared their ordeal of years of sexual harassment and how some were treated apathetically ‘for not conceding to his demands’.
The two FIRs were filed at Connaught Place police station by the Delhi Police, after the intervention of Supreme Court on April 28 last.
However, ther WFI chief seems to be defiant and is sticking to his stand, thanks to the political support that he allegedly enjoys from the saffron brigade.
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Meanwhile, the grapplers are still agitating to press for his arrest.
The entire episode has taken a political colour with Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Wednesday slamming the government over the alleged inaction in arresting the WFI president.
Legal experts are of the view that in POCSO cases, the norm is that the accused is arrested for questioning.
Sibal on Wednesday expressed astonishment saying if the POCSO Act and the immediate arrest under it applied to all accused other than Brij Bhushan because he belonged to the BJP.
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Meanwhile, police were of the view that Brij Bhushan was not immediately arrested as they first needed to verify and confirm the age of the ‘minor’ wrestler, who happened to be one of the complainants.
The Delhi Police in a very diplomatic way on Wednesday clarified that the sexual harassment case against Singh was under investigation and a report would be submitted to the court concerned.
The Delhi Police has said that in the case against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, its probe is still on and that ‘it would be wrong’ to comment on the nature of evidence that has been collected.
Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa said that it will not be possible to give a timeframe by which the investigation will be over.
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In another interesting development, WFI chief has alleged the law is being ‘misused on a large scale’ and that he will ‘force the ruling government to change it.’
He is presently in Bahraich of Uttar Pradesh in connection with preparations for a rally of saffron brigade hardliners in Ayodhya on June 5.
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