Delhi Police says, ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan threatened wrestlers, ordered them to keep shut

Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh allegedly threatened wrestlers and asked them to keep quiet, Delhi Police told Rouse Avenue Court during hearing in the alleged sexual harassment case lodged against the BJP MP by women wrestlers. 

The submissions by Delhi Police were made on Thursday as it started afresh its argument on whether to frame charges against the former WFI chief.

Reading out statements from the wrestlers who had accused Bhushan of harassment, the Delhi Police counsel said, "Aage kushti khelni hai toh chup rehna...mei kisi ka career bana sakta hu bigad bhi sakta hu (If you want to continue wrestling then stay quiet... If I can make someone's career then I can destroy it as well".

Delhi Police lawyer Atul Srivastava argued that threatening comments by Brij Bhushan was an offence under Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with criminal intimidation.

Citing another complainant's statement, Srivastava said Brij Bhushan asked her, "Mei dhoti kurta mei kaisa lag raha tha? (How am I looking in my dhoti-kurta attire?) "Is this a question to be asked to a girl," the Delhi Police counsel asked the court.

Citing a wrestler's complaint, Delhi Police said only women were allowed to enter the office of co-accused Vinod Tomar, the former assistant secretary of the WFI. The complainant aid that doors to Tomar's office were kept closed and he stopped any male wrestler from entering.

"This shows (the) intention," Srivastava added.

The Delhi Police lawyer also referred to an incident of Brij Bhushan hugging a wrestler and then claiming it to be a "fatherly act". "He said that he did it as a father figure. (The) guilty mind is always conscious. Why did he give this explanation?" Srivastava said.

Brij Bhushan skipped the hearing on Thursday after the Rouse Avenue court allowed his exemption. His lawyer said the exemption was sought due to a "social obligation".

The police made the submissions before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot, who recently started hearing the matter after judge Harjeet Singh Jaspal had recently been transferred to a different court.

Harjeet Singh Jaspal had already heard extensive arguments by all concerned parties before reserving the order.

Delhi Police had filed the charge sheet against Brij Bhushan on June 15 last year under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

Harjeet Singh Jaspal had granted bail to Brij Bhushan and suspended WFI additional secretary Vinod Tomar on July 20 last year.