Delhi HC takes exception to Brij Bhushan’s plea in sexual harassment case
Singh, a six-time former BJP lawmaker, was booked last year after top wrestlers accused his of sexual harassment and camped at Jantar Mantar for 38 days demanding his immediate arrest
The Delhi high court on Thursday took exception to former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s plea seeking the quashing of the first information report (FIR) filed against him over sexual harassment charges and the proceedings emanating from it.
Singh, a six-time former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker who headed the WFI for 12 years, was charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC)’s Sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking) last year after top wrestlers accused him of sexual harassment and camped at Jantar Mantar for 38 days demanding his immediate arrest.
A bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna called Singh’s plea “oblique” and asked his lawyer to prepare a short note on all the contentions for the quashing while fixing September 26 as the next date for hearing. “There cannot be an omnibus order on everything. If you wanted to challenge everything, you should have done….[it before the trial began]. Once the trial has commenced and charges have been framed.. this is nothing but an oblique way...” Justice Bansal told Bhushan’s lawyer.
Singh’s plea called the case against him “false” and “frivolous”. It called the probe in the case biased and said the chargesheet was filed without taking care of the falsehood of the allegations.
Singh’s lawyer told the court that the allegations against his client were motivated. He added that none of the wrestlers leveled any allegations against Singh before January 2023. The lawyer claimed the allegations were made for Singh’s removal as the WFI chief.
The Delhi Police objected to the maintainability of the petition, saying that it was filed after the chargesheet was presented and the trial court framed the charges.
