Wrestlers' Protest | ‘Preliminary enquiry first…’: Delhi Police tells SC on FIR against WFI chief Brij Bhushan

A day after the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a plea seeking registration of an FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh, the Delhi Police submitted that a preliminary enquiry would be needed before a case is registered over the sexual harassment allegations levelled by wrestlers.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud that it should not be taken otherwise that the police chose not to register an FIR despite a notice by the court on Tuesday.

A bench of CJI Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha had sought a response from the Delhi Police and the Delhi government on Tuesday on the wrestlers' demand to register FIR noting the “serious” allegations made by the players. The Supreme Court further asked the Delhi Police to adduce materials on the probe into the case before the court on Friday when the matter will be heard next.

The court will be taking up the matter again on Friday. The submissions were filed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal saying that despite the sexual harassment allegations no FIR has been lodged.

“Issue notice. List it (for hearing) on Friday,” the bench had said on Tuesday and ordered the redaction of names of complainant wrestlers from judicial records with a view to suppressing their identities.

Seven women wrestlers had moved the Supreme Court alleging non-registration of FIR on their sexual harassment charges.

On Sunday, several national award-winning wrestlers, including Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, resumed their sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar and demanded the public disclosure of the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the allegations.

Several ministers including former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Congress leader Udit Raj had reached the protest site to support the wrestlers.

The wrestlers on Monday had threatened to approach the Supreme Court if an FIR is not lodged against the WFI president.