'Nothing but an oblique way': Delhi HC rebukes Brij Bhushan over plea, grants time to file contention in wrestlers' sexual harassment case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted time to former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and ex-BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to file contentions for seeking quashing of the FIR and charges framed against him in a sexual harassment case lodged by several women wrestlers.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna granted two weeks to Singh and listed the matter for further hearing on September 26.

“Petitioner seeks time to prepare a short note raising all the contentions for seeking quashing of the charge sheet and all other proceedings emanating therefrom. Two weeks are granted to do so,” the court said.

The plea was opposed by the counsel for the State and the victims who contended that it was not maintainable.

The complaints were made by six women wrestlers and the trial court found that the complaint of one of them was time barred so it framed charges based on the complaints of five victims, senior advocate Rebecca John submitted, adding that, “this shows there was a deep application of mind”.

During the hearing, the court questioned Singh for filing a single petition for challenging the order framing charges against him and also seeking quashing of FIR and charge sheet and all other proceedings.

“There can’t be an omnibus order for everything,” the court said and added that he was challenging everything after the trial has commenced.

“This is nothing but an oblique way,” it said.

Advocate Rajiv Mohan, appearing for Singh, submitted there was no commonality between the causes and there was no continuity in the instances stated by the alleged victims.

He contended that the allegations levelled against Singh were “motivated” and since he was the chief of WFI at that time, the common agenda behind all the complaints was to remove him from the post of WFI chief.

The high court opined that all the averments now being made by the petitioner must have been considered by the trial court at the time of framing of charges.

Singh, in his plea, contended that the investigation was done in a biased manner as only the version of the victims, who were interested in taking revenge against him, was considered and the charge sheet was filed before the trial court without taking care of the falsehood of allegation.

The former WFI chief claimed that he has been falsely implicated in this case and no offence as alleged by the prosecution has been committed by him.

On May 21, the trial court had framed charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging the modesty of women.

The court had also framed the charge of criminal intimidation against co-accused and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in the case.

The Delhi Police filed an FIR against Singh after the intervention of the Supreme Court in May 2023.