Wrestlers’ sexual harassment charges: Delhi court summons Brij Bhushan Singh, Vinod Tomar on 18 July

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Friday summoned MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar after taking cognisance of the chargesheet in the case of sexual harassment allegations by wrestlers. The court has listed the matter for July 18. Singh, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh, has denied all the charges.

“I will appear before the court on 18th July. I do not want any exemption from appearing before the court,” said Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to news agency ANI.

Taking cognisance of the chargesheet, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal directed Brij Bhushan to appear before the court on July 18.

The court also summoned Vinod Tomar, suspended assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India.

The city police had filed a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan, a six-time MP, on June 15 under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

Tomar was charged with offences under Sections 109 (abetment of any offence, if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 354, 354A and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

Delhi Police had filed the charge sheet against the six-time MP Singh

Delhi Police had filed the charge sheet against the six-time MP Singh on June 15 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

Tomar was charged with offences under sections 109 (abetment of any offence, if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 354, 354A and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

Besides the present case, another FIR was filed against Singh pursuant to the allegations made by a minor wrestler which was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. She was among the seven female grapplers who had accused Singh of sexual harassment.

Both the FIRs mentioned several alleged instances of sexual harassment like inappropriate touching, groping, stalking and intimidation by Singh at different times and places over a decade.