Female wrestlers' case: Delhi court orders framing of charges of sexual harassment, criminal intimidation against ex-WFI chief

NEW DELHI — A Delhi court on Friday ordered the framing of charges of sexual harassment, using force to outrage women's modesty, and criminal intimidation against BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in case of female wrestlers' harassment.

Recently, the court dismissed an application by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh seeking further examination of evidence concerning his whereabouts on the date -- September 7, 2022 -- of an alleged incident.

The plea had argued for a detailed investigation into his claims of being abroad when the incident purportedly took place. The application had also demanded that the Delhi Police produce the Call Detail Record (CDR).

Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava, representing the Delhi Police, had opposed the application, arguing that the timing of the request was strategic and intended to prolong the case. He had stressed the potential legal ramifications of reopening the investigation at this stage.

Counsel for the complainants had criticised the application as a tactic to delay the proceedings. They argued that the necessary documents should have been procured earlier under Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which deals with the communication of evidence to the accused.