Delhi court adjourns hearing of Brij Bhushan sexual harassment case, schedules on Oct 19

In the Brij Bhusan sexual harassment case, the court heard both sides and the hearing was adjourned for the day. The next hearing has been scheduled on October 19.

New Delhi: The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Monday adjourned the case against BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after hearing the arguments of both the parties. The next hearing has been listed on October 19.

Singh was present at the court this morning. During the hearing, Singh's lawyers said that the oversight committee's report was handed over by the Centre to the Delhi Police commissioner and argued that it has been included in the chargesheet.

Singh's lawyers said that the complaint was filed in a "cosmetic manner" and their client had never called any of the women wrestlers to his office. Allegations of molestation were leveled instead of sexual harassment, they said. In September, Delhi Police informed court that the oversight committee, headed by boxer MC Mary Kom did not exonerate him.

Lawyer Rebecca John, representing the six women wresters argued that Singh did not challenge the chargesheet or the decision to take cognizance of the FIR in court. Only a single FIR was registered in the case wherein statements of all the complainants were recorded. All FIRs were registered against the same person and the crime stated by all the complainants is same. Singh touched the complainants inappropriately under the pretext of medical check-up and intended to outrage modesty, John added.

After hearing the arguments, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal scheduled the case for further hearing on October 19.

Women wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and others had accused Singh of sexual harassment and staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi demanding action against him. Delhi Police had registered a case against Singh in this matter.

The last hearing of the case was held on October 7. Singh's lawyers had opposed the allegations made in the chargesheet filed by Delhi Police. They argued that charges cannot be framed only on the basis of the statements of the wrestlers. Singh has already denied the allegations terming these as false and baseless.