Delhi HC to hear wrestlers’ plea against WFI elections
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear a petition on Monday by Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and her husband Satyawart Kadian.
Investigators in the wrestlers’ case will soon submit chats, videos and statements of over 150 witnesses in court, a Delhi Police source said on Wednesday.
According to the source, police have collected several videos, including the CCTV footage of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) office.
Earlier, the police had reached out to five foreign wrestling federations, seeking information, as several wrestlers have alleged harassment during tournaments abroad. They are currently awaiting responses from these federations.
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As for the charge sheet filed by police, officials said that Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora has reviewed the progress of the investigation and given approval to proceed.
“The investigating officer will now conclude the necessary procedures and submit the reports to the Rouse Avenue Court,” said the official.
In April, Delhi Police registered two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) against the WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, based on sexual harassment allegations. The first FIR pertains to the accusations made by a minor and has been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning the act of outraging modesty.
The second FIR focuses on comprehensive investigations into the complaints made by adult complainants and involves relevant sections of the IPC related to outraging of modesty.
The father of the minor wrestler involved in the case has stepped forward and claimed that he filed a “false” complaint of sexual harassment against the chief.
The father alleges that his actions were driven by anger and frustration over the chief’s perceived biased treatment towards his daughter.
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