THE LONE minor among the many seven feminine wrestlers, who filed police complaints alleging sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has recorded her assertion earlier than a Justice of the Peace beneath Part 164 of the Code of Prison Process (CrPC).
“The minor appeared earlier than a Justice of the Peace and gave her assertion on Wednesday,” a senior officer from the Delhi Police headquarters confirmed.
The police officer additionally confirmed {that a} discover had been despatched to the WFI, asking it to supply sure paperwork and particulars of tournaments wherein the complainants had participated. A few of the alleged incidents of sexual harassment are learnt to have occurred at tournaments the place Brij Bhushan was additionally current.
Final week, the police recorded the statements of the complainants beneath Part 161 of the CrPC. Nonetheless, these aren’t admissible in court docket. “The statements of the opposite six complainants are but to be recorded earlier than the Justice of the Peace,” the senior police officer mentioned.
The Delhi Police has additionally recorded the statements of 15 witnesses linked to the case and obtained the report of the oversight committee chaired by Olympian boxer Mary Kom, that was set as much as probe the sexual harassment complaints in opposition to Brij Bhushan.
“We have now acquired a report from the oversight committee, the place they’ve recorded the statements of the victims and others, however we now have additionally recorded their (victims’) recent statements for our case,” the officer mentioned.
On Saturday, one of many protesting wrestlers, Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, made a plea to report the statements of the alleged victims earlier than a Justice of the Peace.
“Our statements haven’t been recorded beneath (Part) 164 and we’re ready for this. The police have been given a deadline to make sure that the statements are recorded… My request is to report our statements as quickly as attainable, as a result of solely then can the case transfer ahead,” she mentioned.
On April 21, seven feminine wrestlers, together with the minor, had filed separate complaints of sexual harassment and felony intimidation in opposition to the WFI president at Delhi’s Connaught Place police station. The wrestlers later approached the Supreme Court docket, stating that the police weren’t registering FIRs. Subsequently, the police registered two FIRs — one beneath the POCSO Act, and one other primarily based on the complaints of grownup girls wrestlers.
A few of India’s prime wrestlers, together with Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23. They’ve mentioned that they are going to finish their protest when Brij Bhushan is arrested beneath related sections.
On Wednesday, Sakshi mentioned they have been able to take a narco take a look at, and challenged Brij Bhushan to do the identical. “I problem WFI president to take a narco take a look at. We’re additionally prepared to take the take a look at. Let the reality come out within the open, who’s the perpetrator and who will not be,” she mentioned throughout a media interplay.
Alleging delay within the police investigation, the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar have determined to put on black armbands to mark their protest.