Bhopal: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Sunday issued a notice to Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, after receiving a complaint of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Seven wrestlers have reportedly filed a complaint of sexual harassment against Singh at New Delhi’s Connaught Place Police Station. However, no FIR has been lodged in the matter yet.
According to the DCW notice issued 23 April, the complainants even started receiving phone calls from an Indian Police Services Officer with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, enquiring about the identities of the complainants and their families.
According to the notice, the complainant has alleged that Singh even harassed a minor athlete.
देश की कई महिला Wrestlers ने दो दिन पहले कैनॉट प्लेस पुलिस स्टेशन में WFI अध्यक्ष के ख़िलाफ़ यौन शोषण की शिकायत दी थी। एक शिकायतकर्ता नाबालिग भी है। अब तक दिल्ली पुलिस ने मामले में FIR दर्ज नहीं की, जो क़ानून के ख़िलाफ़ है। पुलिस को नोटिस दिया है, 48 घंटे में DCW को जवाब दे। pic.twitter.com/bvvgHZikCQ
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) April 23, 2023
The commission has asked for an FIR to be registered on the basis of the complaint, as well as the reason for its delay. It has also sought action against the police officer responsible for the delay. It has sought security for the complainants as well as names of those police officers who allegedly divulged information about the complainants to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports latest by 25 April.
ThePrint reached Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Pranav Tayal, and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh via phone calls, but got no response. The report will be updated if and when a response is received.
Wrestlers return to Jantar Mantar
In the meantime, wrestlers have returned to Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to protest against Singh once again. Led by Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, wrestlers had first protested at Jantar Mantar in January.
They had called off the protests after Singh was asked to step down as the WFI chief.
The ministry of youth affairs and sports had formed an Oversight Committee on 23 January to look into the allegations of sexual harassment. The committee was led by Olympian boxer Mary Kom, and its members were Olympic medal winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, former shuttler Trupti Murgunde, SAI member Radhica Sreeman, Rajesh Rajagopalan, ex-CEO, Target Olympic Podium Scheme and CWG gold medal winning wrestler Babita Phogat.
The committee had to submit its report to the ministry within a month of its formation. It later got a 2-week extension by the ministry. The status or contents of the report are not known to the public yet.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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