New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday reserved its verdict in the criminal case against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and ex-Lok Sabha MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing allegations of sexually harassing six reputed female wrestlers.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwini Panwar of Rouse Avenue Court reserved the matter after hearing final arguments by the prosecution, complainants, and the accused.
The court is scheduled to pronounce its judgment on August 3.
Two FIRs were lodged, and Brij Bhushan was charged under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) while co-accused and former WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar has been charged for criminal intimidation.
The maximum punishment for these offences is five-year imprisonment.
The sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan followed prolonged protests at Jantar Mantar by several prominent wrestlers in 2023. The female wrestlers accused Brij Bhushan of sexually harassing them over several years and demanded his arrest and removal from the federation.
The BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj was removed as WFI president.
The court framed charges against Brij Bhushan in May 2024 under provisions relating to sexual harassment.
In May last year, the court closed the POCSO case against Brij Bhushan after the minor victim, now an adult, retracted her allegations of sexual harassment made against him.
The other case continued, and the trial, held in camera, began in July 2024.
