New Delhi: The "minor" wrestler who accused Wrestling Federation president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment was not a minor at the time of the incident and has provided a new statement to the court. Her father claimed she had revised the statement's age-related passage in an interview. Her accusation of sexual harassment remains.
The POCSO, a strict statute prohibiting sexual assault on children, had been invoked against the BJP MP as a result of the accusation.
The POCSO accusations against the president of the Wrestling Federation can be dropped due to the change in age status. While the charge under Section 10 of the POCSO, under which he was arrested, carries a prison sentence of seven years, the charge under the applicable IPC sections -- outraging a woman's modesty -- carries a two-year sentence, NDTV reported.
Two cases were submitted on April 29, four months after the wrestlers began their campaign against him. He has one case against him under the Indian Penal Code as a result of seven wrestlers accusing him of sexual harassment all combined.
By June 15, the police should have finished their investigation and submitted a chargesheet. This was a portion of the plan the government presented to the wrestlers on Wednesday night.
Anurag Thakur, the Union Sports Minister, presented the written proposal during a six-hour conversation with Sakshee Malikkh and Bajrang Punia. The wrestlers have stated that they will respond after they have heard from the individuals and groups who support them.
The girl's father had earlier informed her that the claims that she had withdrawn her case were untrue.
On Tuesday, Olympian Bajrang Punia also took a shot at "sources" quoted by the reports. "Should the country should trust the girl's father, who said they have not withdrawn any complaint or statement, or the so-called sources," he said. "We spoke to him (the girl's father) and he has denied it," he added.