SC closes proceedings on wrestlers plea after FIR, security

The Supreme Court on Thursday closed the proceedings on a plea filed by women wrestlers alleging sexual harrasment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, having noted that the FIRs have been lodged and security has been provided to the athletes.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud wrapped up the proceedings in the writ petition while allowing the petitioners to move the High Court and the jurisdictional court on any further grievance.

The court also refused to monitor the investigation.

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"Having due regard to the ambit of the petition and registration of FIRs, we close the proceedings at this stage. The petitioner can move the jurisdictional magistrate or the high court concerned for suitable reliefs," the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala said.

The court noted that the purpose of the petition before this court was registration of the FIR. Two FIRs were lodged against Singh by the Delhi police on April 28.

It also took into record that proper security has been provided to the complainants.

Senior advocate Narender Hooda, appearing for the wrestlers, cited news reports claiming a policeman, who was allegedly drunk, misbehaved with the wrestlers at the protest site.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on behalf of Delhi Police, said two political leaders from two parties went with folding beds in a truck and the police tried to stop it and a scuffle took place.

Mehta said they alleged that cops were drunk but everyone was medically tested and nobody was found drunk.

Hooda said Singh was openly taking the wrestlers names and he has become a TV star.

Referring to the court's previous order on concealing the identity of the victim, the counsel said Singh is giving interviews and alleging some businessman is behind all this.

Mehta, for his part, said complainants are also giving interviews, taking all names.

On behalf of Singh, senior advocate Harish Salve opposed Hooda's submissions.

Mehta informed the court that a senior lady IPS officer is investigating the matter and statements of complainants have already been recorded and some more statements will be recorded in a day or two.

Hooda then said, “I am sure as soon as the case is over Delhi police will drag its feet. This should be monitored by a former judge”.

On this, the bench said, "We have confined ourselves to the prayer and that is served."

Olympian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and other grapplers, most of whom hailing from Haryana, resumed their protest against the WFI chief in Jantar Mantar in Central Delhi last month. They complained that no action has been taken on their complaints against the WFI chief for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.

After the first round of agitation, the Sports Ministry on January 23 formed a committee, headed by boxing legend M C Mary Kom to probe the allegations against Singh. It had submitted its report in the first week of April but its findings are yet to be made public.

Several wrestlers who have won awards at international competitions have been protesting at Jantar Mantar, demanding that the government make public the findings of an oversight panel that investigated the sexual harassment charges against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The Delhi Police has filed two FIRs against Singh on allegations of sexual harassment levelled against the BJP MP by seven women wrestlers.

The wrestlers have asserted that they would not leave the protest site until Singh is arrested.