New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday closed the petition filed by women wrestlers, taking note of the fact that FIRs have been registered by the Delhi Police against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over alleged sexual harassment.
The top court said that we have closed the proceedings at this stage and if petitioners wish for something else, they can approach the magistrate or the High Court in its jurisdiction.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala noted that the purpose of the petition has been served as FIR has been registered and that security has been provided to wrestlers.
"The purpose of the plea was registration of FIR which is now registered. Apart from registration of FIR this court had passed some other directions to ensure security to complainants. Police has indicated that proper security has been provided to minor complainants and due security has been provided to others. Having regard to the ambit of the case before us, we close the proceedings now," the Court ordered, according to the Bar and Bench.
The Delhi Police on Thursday morning increased security deployment at Jantar Mantar after a scuffle broke out between the protesting wrestlers and some police personnel, leading to head injuries to a couple of protesters. Multiple layers of barricades have been put up around the protest site and no one is being allowed in.
"If you want to kill us, kill us," Vinesh Phogat said with tears in her eyes during a late-night media interaction. "Did we win medals for the country to see this day? We have not even eaten our food. Does every man have a right to abuse women? These policemen are holding guns, they can kill us," she said, as quoted by PTI.
Deputy Commissioners of all districts in Delhi have been asked to be on alert in their districts as a large number of people can reach Jantar Mantar, the police stated.
The wrestlers have been staging a sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar since April 23. They have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Uttar Pradesh.