A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to Bharatiya Janata Party MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, in connection with the sexual harassment case of female wrestlers.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after having reserved it earlier in the day. The court has also granted a bail plea to co-accused Vinod Tomar.
The accused persons have been directed by the court to not leave the country without its prior intimation and said that they will not, directly or indirectly, indulge in threat or inducement to the complainants or witnesses. “Please ensure that all the conditions are meticulously followed,” ACMM Jaspal said.
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Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Atul Srivastava earlier reiterated that Singh may influence witnesses, hence conditions be imposed while granting bail.
In the order, the court recorded: “… APP submits that he is neither opposing nor supporting the bail application. His submission is only that court should deal with bail application as per law, rules, guidelines, and judgments of Supreme Court.”
Even the Advocate Harsh Bora for the complainant said: “If your honor is inclined to grant bail, strict conditions may be imposed.” Representing the accused, Advocate Rajiv Mohan submitted that they will abide by all conditions.
“There was no threat. And if they are apprehending, I am undertaking that no such incident will happen,” Mohan submitted. On Tuesday, the court granted interim bail to Singh and Tomar. Advocate Mohan had submitted before the court that since the charge sheet was filed before the arrest, he is filing bail bonds.
However, Srivastava for Delhi Police had said that “We (Delhi Police) have not arrested him. We leave it to my lord. The condition must be there… I oppose it with condition that he shouldn’t influence the witness.” The court had on July 7 summoned Singh and Tomar in the case.
It took note of the charge sheet filed in the case, responding to the claims made by six women wrestlers who have accused Singh of engaging in sexual harassment and intimidation.
The Delhi Police’s charge sheet running over 1,000 pages was filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahima Rai of Rouse Avenue Court for the offenses under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (making sexually colored remarks), 354D (stalking) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Tomar has been accused of offenses under Sections 109 (abetting officer), 354, 354A, and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. Reportedly, the charge sheet contains statements from around 200 witnesses.
In the FIR registered at Connaught Place police station, it has been alleged by the six grapplers that Singh allegedly attempted to coerce one athlete into sexual acts by offering to provide her with “supplements”, inviting another wrestler to his bed, and hugging her, besides assaulting and inappropriately touching other athletes.
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