The matter of sexual harassment allegations against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is seeing a new twist as the father of the minor wrestler, on whose complaint a case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, claimed that Brij Bhushan did not sexually harass his daughter, but discriminated against her. This comes as grapplers suspended their agitation till June 15 after the government assured them that a chargesheet will be filed against the outgoing WFI president.
In interviews with multiple news platforms, the minor wrestler's father said that the WFI chief had not sexually harassed his daughter, but his approach was "partial in nature against her". He said they levelled the charge of sexual harassment out of "anger" and that some of the claims made by them were "false".
ALSO READ | Wrestlers' Protest: WFI To Have Grievance Redressal Panel Headed By Woman, Says Anurag Thakur
"The entire staff on match duty was from Delhi and the opponent girl also hailed from Delhi, which is illegal… I have changed my statement. Some allegations were true and some were false. Brij Bhushan had not sexually harassed my daughter but his approach was biased against her… I had received threatening calls but I will not reveal their names. I had sold my house to bear the expenses of my daughter. Without anyone's influence, I had re-recorded my statement," the girl’s father told Hindustan Times.
Speaking to News18 Haryana, the father said that they levelled allegations of sexual assault in a "state of anger" after WFI allegedly discriminated against his daughter. But he has changed his statement under Section 164 before a magistrate on June 5.
"We had levelled allegations of sexual assault in a state of anger after WFI discriminated against my daughter. Bhushan did not behave inappropriately with my daughter. We have changed my statement under Section 164 before a magistrate on June 5. I was alone in this fight as nobody helped me at that time, except the wrestlers’ fraternity," the father told News18 Haryana.
"My family has been living in trauma since the matter was reported. On June 5, we clarified in the Supreme Court that there was no sexual assault by the WFI chief. But, there are allegations of discrimination against WFI," the father said, as quoted by a News18 report.
He emphasised he had not withdrawn the complaint but recorded fresh statements. "In anger, we had levelled some false allegations, and my daughter had faced some issues but all those mentioned in the FIR were not true," he told HT.
Delhi Police SIT Likely To Submit Investigation Report In Court By Next Week
The Delhi Police has filed two FIRs against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The first FIR relates to allegations by the minor wrestler and has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the second is related to outraging modesty.
The FIRs narrate several alleged instances of sexual harassment, inappropriate touching, groping, stalking and intimidation by Singh at different times and places over a decade.
The BJP MP has been questioned by the police twice so far and on both occasions, he denied all the allegations against him and claimed he was being framed.
Notably, the Delhi Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing sexual harassment allegations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is likely to submit its investigation report in the court in the two cases registered against him by next week, news agency PTI reported officials as saying on Wednesday.
In its investigation so far, the SIT has questioned more than 180 people, the Delhi Police officials said, as per PTI.
Top wrestlers of the country, including Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, had been protesting against Singh and demanding his arrest for allegedly sexually harassing seven female grapplers, including a minor.
Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive