<p class="bodytext">The closure of the case against the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, by a Delhi court, does not come as a surprise. The court acted on the basis of a closure report filed by the Delhi police which investigated the complaint registered by the father of a minor wrestler. The girl and the father later withdrew the complaint, and even said the charges were false, raising questions about why these charges were made in the first place. The police examined witnesses, phone records and other materials and filed a report stating that there was no evidence against the accused. One important question remains unanswered – why no action should be taken against those who made the false charges?</p>.Brij Bhushan calls for review of sexual harassment laws after closure of POCSO case against him.<p class="bodytext">One can be cynical about the course and outcome of the case or accept it in good faith. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a six-time MP who holds substantial influence with the government and the ruling party at the Centre. He also faces other charges of sexual harassment made by women wrestlers of high professional standing and credibility. The protests by Olympic medal winners and other accomplished wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat during 2023-24 seeking action against Brij Bhushan and the way they were handled by the Delhi police are fresh in public memory. FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan based on their complaints after the Supreme Court’s intervention. These cases were initiated by five women wrestlers with respect to incidents alleged to have occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office in Delhi, Singh’s residence and other locations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After obtaining the ‘clean chit’ from the court, Brij Bhushan went to Ayodhya where he held a ‘victory parade’ – a massive show of strength with thousands of supporters and 100 SUVs. People associated with the former WFI head have termed the court order a victory of truth and justice. But in public perception, shaped by the credibility of people who made the charges and an understanding of how the system works, the closure will be considered a setback to the cause of justice for those who face sexual harassment, especially from persons in positions of power. Some would view women coming forward to make such complaints in public as a positive takeaway from this distressing turn of events. It might encourage others who face sexual harassment at workplaces or in public spaces to raise their voice and seek justice.</p>
<p class="bodytext">The closure of the case against the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, by a Delhi court, does not come as a surprise. The court acted on the basis of a closure report filed by the Delhi police which investigated the complaint registered by the father of a minor wrestler. The girl and the father later withdrew the complaint, and even said the charges were false, raising questions about why these charges were made in the first place. The police examined witnesses, phone records and other materials and filed a report stating that there was no evidence against the accused. One important question remains unanswered – why no action should be taken against those who made the false charges?</p>.Brij Bhushan calls for review of sexual harassment laws after closure of POCSO case against him.<p class="bodytext">One can be cynical about the course and outcome of the case or accept it in good faith. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a six-time MP who holds substantial influence with the government and the ruling party at the Centre. He also faces other charges of sexual harassment made by women wrestlers of high professional standing and credibility. The protests by Olympic medal winners and other accomplished wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat during 2023-24 seeking action against Brij Bhushan and the way they were handled by the Delhi police are fresh in public memory. FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan based on their complaints after the Supreme Court’s intervention. These cases were initiated by five women wrestlers with respect to incidents alleged to have occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office in Delhi, Singh’s residence and other locations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After obtaining the ‘clean chit’ from the court, Brij Bhushan went to Ayodhya where he held a ‘victory parade’ – a massive show of strength with thousands of supporters and 100 SUVs. People associated with the former WFI head have termed the court order a victory of truth and justice. But in public perception, shaped by the credibility of people who made the charges and an understanding of how the system works, the closure will be considered a setback to the cause of justice for those who face sexual harassment, especially from persons in positions of power. Some would view women coming forward to make such complaints in public as a positive takeaway from this distressing turn of events. It might encourage others who face sexual harassment at workplaces or in public spaces to raise their voice and seek justice.</p>
