The Delhi Police on Thursday (4 January) resumed arguments on whether to frame charges against BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in an alleged sexual harassment case lodged by six women wrestlers.
The police presented their submissions before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot, claiming that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to proceed with trial against Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar, suspended Assistant Secretary of the WFI.
Singh was granted exemption from personal appearance for the day. The court will continue hearing the case on Saturday.
The fresh hearing stemmed from the transfer of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal of the Rouse Avenue Court, who had previously presided over the case.
As the predecessor judge had already heard extensive arguments, the court had, during the last hearing, stressed the need for a fresh hearing, especially on the framing of charges.
The matter was at the stage of clarification before an order could be reserved when the transfer occurred. Earlier, the Delhi Police had filed written arguments presenting their stand as to whether to frame charges against Singh.
ACMM Jaspal had handed the copy of the arguments to the counsels of the accused and the complainant. Advocate Harsh Bora, representing the complainants, had earlier filed written arguments .
Sufficient Evidence To Frame Charges Against Brij Bhushan: Delhi Police
On 30 October last year, the court had granted three weeks to the counsels in the case to file their written arguments, and had stressed before the parties that the arguments shall be concluded in a systematic manner.
Singh’s counsel had filed the written arguments on November 22, 2023. The BJP MP had earlier questioned the jurisdiction of Delhi court trying a sexual harassment case against him lodged by six women wrestlers, claiming that there was no action or consequence which happened in India.
The prosecution, however, had said that the act of sexual harassment of the victims was a continuing offence, as it did not stop at any particular time.
Delhi Police had also told the court that Singh never missed an opportunity to sexually harass women wrestlers, adding that there is sufficient evidence to frame charges against him and proceed with the trial.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)