WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Moves Delhi HC, Seeks FIR Against Vinesh Phogat And Top Wrestlers

The petition in Delhi HC comes days after the country's top wrestlers sat on a dharna in Delhi and alleged that Brij Bhushan Singh sexually harassed women players.

Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh ( Image Source :PTI )

Embattled Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has moved the Delhi High Court seeking an FIR against top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, ANI reported. The development comes days after the country's top wrestlers sat on a dharna in Delhi and alleged that Singh sexually harassed women players and acted like a "dictator".

In his petition, Singh sought registration of an FIR against the wrestlers over "extortion and blackmailing by making allegations of sexual assault" and forcing him to resign. 

Bhushan has said that Vinesh Phogat started extorting and blackmailing him to make him resign as WFI chief on the pretext of protest for sexual harassment on the wrestlers, a report in Hindustan Times said.

Sangeeta Phogat, Suman Malik, Anshu Malik, and Bajrang Punia are among the other wrestlers who have been mentioned in the petition.

Singh, who has been asked to "step aside" from the federation's day-to-day affairs, said in the petition that the wrestlers had completely misused the sexual harassment laws by making them a "mockery of justice". 

"If any player had undergone sexual harassment, they must have acted in accordance with the law through police and courts etc," the petition further said.

Bhushan also said that "media has now transformed itself into Janata Adalat or 'public court' and started intervening in the proceedings of the court".

The plea further alleged that the protesting players had crossed their limits to tarnish the reputation and dignity of the Brij Bhushan by publicly making serious allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

Last Wednesday, top wrestlers, including Anshu Malik, Sangeeta Phogat and Sonam Malik among others, started a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar and demanded the sacking of the WFI chief.

The wrestlers also demanded that the WFI be disbanded immediately and a new panel be formed, including grapplers.

Late Friday night, the aggrieved players called off their protest after getting assurances from the government that their grievances would be addressed and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was asked to step aside for four weeks. 

During this period, an oversight committee will probe allegations of sexual harassment and financial impropriety against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The Sports Ministry has asked the WFI to suspend "all ongoing activities with immediate effect", including the Ranking Tournament in Gonda, UP. The ministry has also suspended WFI's assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

(With inputs from agencies)