Brij Bhushan Singh inappropriately touched chest, abdomen on pretext of checking breath: wrestlers file complaints
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In yet another shocker, multiple complaints of sexual harassment and misconduct have been filed by two of the seven women wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Multiple incidents including groping, inappropriate touching and physical contact during tournaments, warm-ups and even in the office of the WFI in New Delhi against Singh have been recorded in two separate complaints, filed on April 21, at New Delhi’s Connaught Place police station, reports The Indian Express.
Two FIRs were lodged against him by the Delhi Police on Friday. In response to a complaint from a minor, one of them was registered under the strict Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act
The WFI Chief has denied all allegations. Top wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and wrestler Bajrang Punia have been protesting in New Delhi for nearly two weeks braving the heat demanding action against Singh.
Leaders of several political parties have expressed their support to the wrestlers while many have come out in support of Singh.
According to the complaints filed by the two women, both adults, Singh allegedly touched them inappropriately and sexually assaulted them on the pretext of testing their breath, reports The Indian Express.
In the complaint, the women wrestlers said that they did not speak about it earlier because of Singh’s influence as the president of the wrestling association and the impact it could have on their careers.
In her complaint, one of the wrestlers (her name has been withheld to protect her identity) has made allegations of sexual harassment against the WFI President during at least 5 incidents of alleged sexual harassment. One incident took place during a 2016 tournament when Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh allegedly called her and inappropriately touched her chest and abdomen at a restaurant. In her complaint, the female wrestler said that after this incident she could not even eat food. Her sleep had deteriorated and she had gone into depression.
Singh repeated the harassment during another tournament in the year 2019. She has alleged that Singh touched her thighs and shoulders and on the second day inappropriately touched her chest and stomach saying that he was checking her breathing pattern.
She also alleged that in 2018, the MP tightly hugged the complainant wrestler for a long time and that she had to move Singh away as his hand was to close to her breast.
Another female wrestler has also made similar allegations in the complaint. She said that while she was practicing in the year 2018, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh lifted her training jersey and touched her stomach and chest saying that he was checking her breath. The wrestler said in the complaint that she was very shocked and upset by the incident.
She said that when she went to the WFI office about a year after the incident, Singh sent the rest of the people outside and tried to forcefully hold her. The female wrestler also alleged that Singh asked her for her personal number and also gave his number.
Both the women wrestlers have recorded their statement to the Delhi Police under Section 161 of the CrPC this week, reports The Indian Express.
Singh has outright rejected all the allegations leveled against him.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been accused of allegedly sexually harassing and intimidating seven female wrestlers, including one who is a minor. They have been calling for action against Singh.
He has refuted each and every accusation, claiming that there is no basis for the charges, but he has also stated that he would resign if asked to do so by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the BJP.
