Top Indian wrestlers who protested against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chairman and other coaches earlier this year, accusing them of sexually abusing female wrestlers, have returned to Delhi’s Jantar Mantar with a fresh police complaint.
Seven female wrestlers have filed a sexual harassment case against federation leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at Central Delhi’s Connaught Place police station.
A First Information Report based on the complaint has yet to be submitted, wrestler Sakshee Malikh said expressing frustration that a government panel report on the topic has not yet been made public.
“We want the report that contains the statements of the female wrestlers to be made public. It’s a sensitive issue, and one of the complainants is a minor girl,” she added and stressed that the complainants’ identities should not be revealed.
Another top wrestler Bajrang Punia stated that they won’t leave until Brij Bhushan is arrested.
Vinesh Phogat stated that despite numerous attempts to reach out, they have received no answer from the administration.
“We’re going to sleep and eat here until justice is served. For three months, we have been attempting to reach them (union sports minister Anurag Thakur and other relevant authorities). Members of the committee have not responded to us, nor has the sports ministry; they have not even returned our calls. We’ve won medals for the country and put our careers on the line for this,” she remarked.
On January 23, the Sports Ministry established a five-member monitoring committee, led by famed boxer MC Mary Kom, and instructed it to present its findings within one month.
On the protesting wrestlers’ request, it later extended the deadline by two weeks and appointed Babita Phogat as the panel’s sixth member. The committee delivered its report in the first week of April, but the government has yet to release its conclusions.
According to reports, the wrestlers were unable to substantiate the sexual harassment charges against the WFI chief after many hearings.
The wrestlers had previously stated that they did not want to go to court because they trusted the Prime Minister, but had warned them to go to the police if the government did not act. They expressed dissatisfaction with negotiations at the sports ministry mediated by olympian Babita Phogat, a BJP member and member of the Haryana government. Anurag Thakur spoke with the wrestlers about the charges, which he described as ‘serious.’
Delhi Commission for Women issues notices to police
The Delhi Commission for Women, the state agency concerned with women’s concerns, has sent a notice to Delhi Police for neglecting to file an FIR in the case.
The women’s panel said it has received a complaint that the police is yet to register an FIR with regard to the matter.
“The complainant has informed the commission that several women wrestlers including a minor have alleged that the accused person has indulged in the crime of sexual harassment against them during his tenure at the Wrestling Federation of India,” the DCW said.
“The complainant has also informed the panel that a complaint in this regard was submitted at Connaught Place police station on April 21,” the panel said.
It said the complainant alleged that no action was taken on her complaint.
She also stated that when she called the SHO of the police station to enquire about the status of the complaint on April 22, she was informed by him that no FIR has been filed and that action shall be taken on the complaint post Monday, the panel said.
She has further stated that when she asked him for assurance that the FIR shall be filed by Monday, he told her that he could not guarantee it, the DCW said.
The panel, in its notice, has asked about the reasons for the delay in the registration of an FIR along with details of action taken against the officer responsible for the delay.
It has also sought a detailed action taken report in the matter by April 25.
A senior police officer said, “We have received a complaint in this regard and an enquiry is on. No FIR has been registered in the matter yet.”
(With inputs from PTI)
