Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on July 18 granted interim bail to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar, who is a co-accused, till Thursday in an alleged case of sexual harassment by female wrestlers.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh granted relief to Singh on a personal bond of ₹25,000. The regular bail pleas have now been listed for July 20.
On June 15, the Delhi police had filed a 1,000-page charge sheet against Mr. Singh and Mr. Tomar, which includes the testimonies of witnesses, victims and other concerned persons. Mr. Singh had been summoned before the court after hearing the submissions and considering the police report along with its annexed documents, including the statements of the victims, the court took cognisance of the offences committed under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually coloured remarks) and 354D (stalking), 506 (para 1) (criminal intimidation) and 109 (abetment to offense) of the Indian Penal Code.
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Several Olympic and World Championship medal-winning wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sangeeta Phogat, protested for months in New Delhi demanding the arrest of Mr. Singh for allegedly sexually harassing several women grapplers, including a minor.
The police only filed an FIR against the accused BJP MP after the intervention of the Supreme Court last month. Sensing a further delay in the investigation, the wrestlers had threatened to immerse their medals in the river Ganga. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur met the wrestlers and assured them his full support and protection, after which the protest was suspended.
Mr. Singh’s counsel alleged media trail, to which the judge said he may move an application before the High Court or trial court. The court will pass an appropriate order on the application, the judge said.
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The counsel, however, did not move any application in this regard.
Besides the present case, another FIR was registered against Mr. Singh pursuant to 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 Mr. Singh at different times and places over a decade.
(With inputs from PTI)
