Under-fire Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh staunchly defended himself on Saturday, refuting sexual harassment allegations via best wrestlers and claiming that the Congress celebration and a “prominent industrialist” had been at the back of the weeklong sit-in protests.
Addressing the media at his place of abode in Bishnoharpur, close to Gonda, the sixth-term BJP MP from UP’s Kaiserganj stated: “I’m utterly blameless and feature complete religion in Supreme Court and Delhi Police. I’m able to stand any roughly investigation. Resigning as president of the Wrestling Federation of India isn’t a large deal for me, however I can no longer surrender as a legal. If I surrender, it might imply that I’ve permitted their allegations.”
The Delhi Police have registered two FIRs, together with one below the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) Act as one of the most seven complainants is a juvenile. The FIRs had been registered on Friday after the wrestlers, who resumed their sit-in at Jantar Mantar remaining Sunday, petitioned the Supreme Court.
Singh stated the wrestlers had been transferring the goalposts. “Every day they’re arising with new calls for. They sought after an FIR and that has been completed. Now they’re announcing I must be despatched to prison and surrender from all posts.
“I’m an MP on account of the folks of my constituency and no longer on account of Vinesh Phogat. Only one circle of relatives and akhara are protesting. Why don’t seem to be other people from some other position complaining?
One FIR was once registered below Indian Penal Code’s sections 354 (molestation), 354(A) (sexual harassment), 354(D) (stalking) and 34 (not unusual goal), clubbing the lawsuits of the six grownup wrestlers. The 2d FIR was once in line with the grievance of the juvenile wrestler, invoking Section 10 of the POCSO Act along with the 4 IPC sections from the primary FIR, a police officer stated. Section 34 approach involvement of a couple of individual within the crime, regardless that the police didn’t say if someone else has been accused via the complainants.
Police is prone to file the statements of the complainants from Sunday. Singh is but to be served a understand asking him to seem earlier than the investigating group and sign up for the probe. “Of the seven complainants, some are at the sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar, the place some politicians met them on Saturday. The juvenile wrestler isn’t there. The investigating group will meet each and every of them and file their commentary,” an officer stated.
“Along with the sufferers, we will be able to additionally file statements of people that shall be recognized via them as witnesses to the sexual harassment. As the allegations date again to between 2012 and 2022, in and outdoor Delhi and in another country as smartly, it is going to be tricky for us to get any digital proof reminiscent of CCTV pictures. We will ask the complainants to proportion with us any digital proof, reminiscent of sexually-coloured messages, if any, that they’ll have stored with them,” a 2d officer stated.
The first authentic stated a minimum of one police officer has been deployed with each and every complainant.
Alleging conspiracy, Singh, 66, stated, “I have audio of a male wrestler telling someone to arrange a victim. I have shared that audio recording with the oversight committee (of the union sports ministry). I won’t resign till the charges against me aren’t proved.”
He criticized Congress normal secretary Priyanka Gandhi visiting the protesters on Saturday.
“Today, it was transparent who’s at the back of this controversy. I’ve been announcing from the start that an industrialist and the Congress have a hand on this. They are dissatisfied with me.
He claimed that the protesting wrestlers had attempted to steer clear of the nationals via looking for exemption. Vinesh Phogat denied it. “Ever since I started competing in 2009, I’ve skipped most effective 4 nationals. I were given injured right through the Rio Games (2016), which was once the primary 12 months. I skipped the nationals right through Covid close to Tokyo Games. I personally was once down with Covid. The 3rd nationwide I skipped was once after Tokyo as a result of I used to be no longer in a just right psychological state after the defeat. I can have completed the rest to myself at the moment (because of despair). The fourth I ignored was once this 12 months. I had asked permission to skip the sector championships trials as a result of chopping weight 3 times in a month is hard. I’ve competed in 10 nationals and feature no longer misplaced as soon as.”
Tokyo Games bronze medalist Bajrang Punia stated, “This issue is not about nationals. This is about sexual harassment. He should answer those questions.”
There was once a twitter spat between cousins Vinesh and wrestler-turned-BJP baby-kisser Babita Phogat. “Sportspersons are succesful to battle their very own battles. Their degree must no longer be used to assert brownie political issues,” Babita tweeted, regarding politicians visiting the protest web page.
Vinesh tweeted in reaction, “If you are not standing for the rights of aggrieved female wrestlers, Babita sister, I request you not to weaken our movement. It has taken years for female wrestlers to speak up against their abusers. You are also a woman.” Try to grasp our ache.”