New Delhi: The two FIRs filed against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh reveal a pattern of alleged sexual assault, harassment and intimidation between 2012 and 2022 during several championships abroad and in India.
The two FIRs were filed 28 April on the basis of complaints filed by seven complainants, including a minor, and alleged discrimination during trials and selection for championships, after they refused Singh’s alleged advances.
ThePrint has exclusively obtained a copy of the two FIRs.
The first FIR is filed under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Brij Bhushan and WFI secretary Vinod Tomar are named in the FIR.
One of the complainants in the FIR says that the “all the female athletes used to travel in groups whenever they left their respective rooms in order to avoid meeting the accused alone”.
She says that she was first sexually assaulted by Brij Bhushan at an international championship, when he allegedly pulled up her T-shirt and slid his hand down her stomach on the pretext of checking her breath.
She claims that she got injured during that championship, and after her arrival to India, she was called to the office of the federation. Brij Bhushan then allegedly told her that the federation was willing to bear the expenses for her treatment, provided she gives in to his sexual advances.
She says that she also appeared before the panel constituted to look into the allegations of sexual harassment against the WFI chief and deposed on camera before the members of the committee. However, she alleges that the recording device was switched off and on again, leading her to believe that her deposition may have been tampered with.
“I want the accused to be punished for sexually harassing me and many other female wrestlers, whom he exploits due to his power and position. It is necessary to stop the accused from committing more acts of sexual harassment and exploitation and I request you register a case against him and put him behind bars (sic),” she sought in the complaint.
Another complaint that forms a part of the FIR alleges that Brij Bhushan touched her inappropriately during an international championship, and “tried making forceful physical contact” with her when she visited the federation office in New Delhi following the championship.
“The incident of sexual harassment and stalking have left me traumatised and even today have a vivid imprint on my mind. That due to inappropriate acts and sexual harassment committed by the accused, i was so traumatised and mentally upset that it was difficult for me to focus and deliver to the best of my ability at various competitions,” the complaint says.
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Told PMO about harassment
The complainants recall incidents of sexual harassment and intimidation at different places from 2012 to 2022, in different parts of the country and abroad.
Another wrestler has alleged that during one of the international championships, Brij Bhushan groped her at the dinner table in the hotel restaurant. She says that she was “deeply shocked and traumatised by the acts of the accused no. 1 (Brij Bhushan) that I could not sleep or eat properly for the next few days”.
She was allegedly touched inappropriately again at the federation office in Delhi, during a league in India, and again during two international competitions over a course of two years.
The complainant claims that during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), she spoke about the “repeated sexual, emotional, physiological, physical trauma which was meted upon me and other female wrestlers by the accused no. 1”.
ThePrint reached the PMO over emails and calls, but did not receive a response till the publishing of this report. A response will be added if and when a statement is received.
The complainants have also raised doubts over the functioning of the oversight panel formed to probe the allegations against Brij Bhushan, and expressed distrust over its findings.
Several of the provisions in the FIR are cognizable, non-bailable and “serious” offences, leading to calls for immediate arrest of Brij Bhushan.
‘Stay in touch with me’
The WFI chief also faces another FIR for sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation under Sections 354, 354A, 354D and 34 of the IPC, along with Section 10 of the POCSO Act.
The complaint was made by the father of a minor victim, who joined wrestling in 2016 and is currently 17 years old.
When the grappler won a gold medal in a championship in India, the father alleges, Singh, “on the pretext of taking a picture, forcefully pulled her towards himself and held her so tightly by her arms that she could not move or free herself from his grip”. He then allegedly “further squeezed her towards himself and pressed really hard on her shoulder and then deliberately slid his hand down her shoulder and brushed his hands against her breasts”.
As per the FIR, Brij Bhushan then told her, ‘Tu mereko support kar, mei tereko support karuga, mere saath touch mein rahna (You support me, I will support you. Stay in touch with me)’. She, however, shot back, saying, ‘Sir mein apne balboote par yaha tak aayi hu, aage bhi mehnat karke aage tak jaugi (Sir I’ve come so far on my own, and I will work hard to go ahead.)’
The federation chief then allegedly warned her that the trials for the Asian Championship were soon to be held and since she was not cooperating with him, she will have to bear the repercussions in the trials.
The complainant claims that Brij Bhushan also called his daughter to his room and “tried making forceful physical contact with her”. While she managed to leave the room, he claims, she was hugely discriminated against during the trials for the Asian Championship, since she “resisted the sexual advances of the accused and was not willing to give into his unjust and indecent demands”.
He claims that Brij Bhushan continued to make remarks like “personally aakar milna” (come see me personally) towards her daughter.
“My daughter is a young wrestler aged 17 years and at the beginning of her career. She could not muster up the courage to face a sexual predator like the accused and as such could not make a complaint or raise these issues with the Federation as the Federation is totally under the control of the accused and works as per his dictates,” the complainant says.
The FIR was, therefore, filed on the basis of his complaint saying that a “prima facie offence” under the IPC and POCSO provisions is made out.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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