As Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, and other decorated athletes protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Wrestlers sexual harassment protest: Why no FIR has been filed; here is complete details.
The Supreme Court issued notices to the Delhi Police and others on a plea by seven women wrestlers seeking registration of an FIR against him over allegations of sexual harassment, saying the matter is “serious” and requires its consideration.
As more political leaders including former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and functionaries of some ‘khap’ panchayats and farmers’ organisations rallied behind the country’s top wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar here, the petition contended that despite filing complaints the Delhi Police has failed to register the FIR.
At least seven women wrestlers, including a minor, filed a complaint on charges of sexual harassment against incumbent Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in Delhi’s Connaught Place police station on April 21. However, since Delhi Police failed to register their complaint, top wrestlers of the country, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia resumed their protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on April 23.
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Speaking to the media, Sakshi Malik said, “It’s been two and a half months, and we are not aware of what the oversight committee report has said. People think we lied. We have registered a complaint with Delhi Police but they won’t file an FIR. We won’t leave the protest site until arrest in the case happens. We don’t believe anyone from the oversight committee”.
So far there has been no official response from the Delhi Police over the issue. However, as per senior officials, the Delhi Police has sought the oversight committee report from sports ministry. Depending on the findings of the report, the officials said that “appropriate action will be taken”.
Earlier in the month of January, the wrestlers had hit the streets with the same allegations, and after intervention from Union Sports Minister, Anurag Thakur, they had ended their protest. In the previous instance, sports ministry had formed a six-member oversight committee, led by boxing legend, Mary Kom, to investigate the allegations made by the wrestlers and submit a report on the matter.
According to sources, the report has already been submitted to the sports ministry. When the wrestlers resumed their protest last Sunday, they suspected that the oversight committee had given a clean chit to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, sparking their return to the protest site.
After an “inordinate delay” from the Delhi Police in filing an FIR, the wrestlers approached the Supreme Court with a writ petition seeking directions to immediately register an FIR in the matter. The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a petition by women wrestlers.
During the hearing on Tuesday (April 25), senior advocate, Kapil Sibal, who is appearing for the wrestlers, argued, “As per SC guidelines, police personnel can even get penalised for not registering the case in such offences”. While issuing a notice to Delhi Police, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud observed, “There are serious allegations in the petition at the behest of wrestlers who have represented India”. Section 166 A (c) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) makes it mandatory for a police officer to register a complaint disclosing the commission of an offence against women, making the non-registration of the plea a punishable offence.
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If a police official fails to record any information given to him/her under sub-section (1) of Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), in relation to cognisable offence punishable under section 326A, section 326B, Section 354, Section 354B, Section370, Section370A, Section 376.
Section 376A, 2[Section 376AB, Section 376B, Section 376C, Section 376D, Section 376DA, Section 376DB], Section 376E or Section 509, he/she shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months and may even extend to two years, and shall also be liable to fine.
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